Pack Law
by psycochick32
Summary: One quest over, the pack sets off to make sure the peace will last. But the well mysteriously closes, and the fight moves to the future. Emotions run wild as two worlds merge; the pack must overcome their issues to become more powerful than ever. COMPLETE
1. Prologue: Back to Square One

Pack Law

Prologue: Back to Square One

Kagome stared at her hand in awe. She was sure if she tried hard enough, she could speak past the lump in her throat. Her brain just wasn't working too well right now, focusing primarily on the glinting piece of jewelry slipped onto her finger.

"For… me?" She croaked out the question. She doubted he understood the significance of giving a young woman a ring… that tradition wouldn't pick up for several centuries, at least. _'Souta might have said something… but… I doubt it…'_ Still, InuYasha didn't give gifts very often. He didn't have to. He showed he cared with his actions, not words or items.

"Of course it's for you, dummy." Light from the dying fire twinkled in the hanyou's eyes, bounced off the diamonds on the ring in a rainbow of reds, oranges and yellows. She'd never really heard that tone from him before. Gruff as usual, it had a certain quality to it… almost soft? Caring? Loving?

'_Could he really?'_

"Totosai forged it. It's…" InuYasha's eyes darted up to the hut where the rest of his pack slept. One ear turned in that direction as he heard a kitsune kit cry out in his sleep. He didn't bring it up since he heard the kit roll over and dig down deeper into a sleeping bag. He stared at the ring again, "I gave him one of my fangs. And some diamonds from the Kongousouha. He says if you wear it, it'll bond to you… it should help direct your powers. Kaede thinks you should be able to do a lot more now they're unsealed."

It was an unusually long speech from the hanyou. He hoped the light was dim enough that Kagome couldn't see the slight flush on his cheeks.

"Why," Kagome spoke up, "are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" InuYasha's ears flattened on his head as he did some quick thinking. He really HAD been an ass lately, hadn't he?

Well, _really_, what did the wench expect? He had thought that at this point, he'd finally have his miko in his arms. Naraku was dead; Kikyo was avenged. Miroku's hand was in one piece. Kohaku lived; Sango had achieved retribution for the horrible way her village and family had been slaughtered. But now, they were off on another quest, all to make sure the fragile peace they had worked so hard for wouldn't be destroyed by another power-hungry human, hanyou or youkai.

'_Because I'm sorry I bitched at you? Because no matter how many times I save your life, I'll never be able to honor you for freeing me from that kami-forsaken seal? Because you really did save our lives? To give you a way to purify my ass out of existence if I ever dig my claws into you again?'_

None of those reasons would EVER pass his lips. Kagome would scoff at half the reasons, she'd never purposefully hurt him, and apologizing had never really been his strong suit.

"No reason." From the look she shot him, she wasn't buying it. But some kami somewhere had to be smiling on him, because the girl's next question was drowned out in a yawn and he shot to his feet. "Bed, now. We've got a lot to do in the morning."

OoO**OoO**OoO

InuYasha situated himself in a tree outside the hut and gazed skyward. His ears aimed the opposite direction, honing in on Kagome's heartbeat. The steady pounding was more reassuring to him than anybody would ever know. It was as though with every beat, her heart forced his to pound as well. Whenever she left, he was positive the blood would stop flowing in his veins. Of course, enough had been spilled when she wasn't nearby that he knew it was a stupid though, but that's how it _felt,_ damn it!

At least he had the girl smiling again. Defeating Naraku should have been the highlight of the last year with his pack, but the ending had been so ambiguous that none of them were sure what to do next.

"_Die, Naraku!" _InuYasha remembered the girl shouting as she knocked her last arrow to her bow. _The glow around the tip of the arrow was so bright, he had to look away. Since Magatsuhi had been killed, her power had been practically pouring out of her._

"_Go!" With that, a superbly-powered arrow flew true. The darkness around the Shikon no Tama was burned up in a purifying pink light. Naraku let out an unworldly shriek as his body began to disintegrate. The poisonous miasma pouring from his body was blown away by the purification trail left by the arrow._

"_You will never truly defeat me… you can never destroy the Shikon no Tama!" With that last shout, Naraku disappeared._

_CRACK!_

_InuYasha thought his heart had stopped. The sharp noise tugged at a memory – a year-old memory of standing on a riverbank and staring at a growing light in the sky._

_Everybody shouted and ducked as an explosion brightened the area. The lights trailed off in all different directions._

_InuYasha turned to Kagome. The girl bled, cuts he inflicted on her when he was corrupted by the blackened jewel's power. She clutched the remains of the bow from Mt. Azusa in her hands; the bow had cracked under the immense rush of her powers in the last arrow. An unnatural wind whipped her hair in circles as she stood and stared at the sky, eyes wide. She was beautiful. She was powerful. Right now, he saw through all of that, and only saw an average girl from the future, lost in the past._

_His voice cut through an unnatural silence. Everybody's faces turned toward him as he turned on the miko._

"_Bitch… do NOT tell me that you just… Was that…" InuYasha was so enraged he was finding it hard to speak around the growls, "DID YOU JUST FUCKING BREAK THE JEWEL AGAIN!?"_

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	2. Chapter 1: To the West

Pack Law

Chapter 1: To the West

"What will you do now?"

The pack was gathered around the fire, eating breakfast in Kaede's hut. InuYasha was choking down ramen as though he'd never see it again, but his ears swiveled forward to catch the miko's response. Miroku hid a chuckle, turning his attention to the miko in front of him.

"Don't have much of a choice, Sango." Kagome's voice was resigned, it sounded like she was holding back a sigh. InuYasha's ears drooped. "You heard Naraku's last words. He'll never be truly defeated until the jewel is gone… and supposedly, the jewel can't be destroyed."

"He could have been bluffing," Miroku offered. "It seems like something he'd do in the heat of battle."

"True, but either way, I have to find the jewel shards… again. I broke the jewel… again." Kagome looked up, sharply, as something occurred to her, "Naraku had actually fused with the jewel before I purified it. What if it's his soul that battles against Midoriko now? He drew Magatsuhi from the jewel, remember? Grandpa told me when I went home that the jewel is supposed to disappear when somebody makes the right wish. I have to purify the jewel and get rid of it. I guess now it's just a matter of knowing what that wish is."

"How will you figure out what it is?" Emerald eyes glistened as Shippou stared up at his adoptive mother. Especially after the light show from her arrow in the final battle against Naraku, the kitsune was pretty convinced the girl from the future could do anything.

Kagome brought her knees up, wrapping her arms around them and hugging into herself. She stared at a particularly interesting knot in the wooden floor. "I'm not sure, Shippou. Kaede, Miroku? Do you have any ideas?"

Miroku looked up from his hand. He couldn't help but stare at the unblemished flesh again and again, running his fingers across the flat expanse of skin that used to house a black hole, almost as if he expected the kazaana to suddenly rip apart his palm once again and suck him in for good. It could happen, everybody knew it. Naraku had faked his death before, residing in Kohaku's shoulder to draw out the youkai posing as Princess Kaguya of the moon. The young man hadn't been surprised when Miroku requested to inspect his back. Then again, InuYasha had seemed to be minutes away from ripping Kohaku's taijya outfit right off his body, so Kohaku didn't really have a choice. His back was blemish-free.

"To be honest, I don't know. It's always been rumored that a selfless wish would be granted and the jewel would turn to dust, but it obviously hasn't been proven. Lady Kikyo obviously believed that she could use the jewel to turn InuYasha human, but I can't help but wonder if that would have been a truly selfless wish?" Miroku caught a low growl coming from the hanyou and shifted away. It was imperative they have this discussion, but he really hoped to keep all body parts attached.

Kaede picked up where the monk had left off. "We know the evil in the jewel picks up on all possible negative implications that could be used against the wisher. Sister Kikyo wanted InuYasha to be human, but she also truly wished to be a normal woman. Obviously, we have no way of knowing how the wish would turn out, but I fear there would have been a tragic twist."

Kagome nodded, staring at the fire unseeingly. _'Is there really any wish that doesn't have some basis in selfishness? A wish, in and of itself, is selfish. It's a want.'_

A silence fell over the group, interspersed only with the sounds of chewing, the fire crackling, and InuYasha slurping ramen. Kagome shifted her seat, turning to InuYasha so quickly even he was caught off guard.

"Do you still want to become a full demon?"

If her sudden movement hadn't startled him, the business-like way she rattled the question off certainly did. He stopped eating, staring at her intently. All eyes in the room were on him, and he could feel it. "Keh. I'm stronger than any full demon. What do I need the jewel for?"

Whatever answer Kagome had expected, it obviously wasn't that one. She grinned; InuYasha felt warmth spread through him. _His_ miko, happy with what _he_ had said, wearing a ring _he_ had given her, making _him_ a new cup of noodles… could things get any better? '_Well, maybe if the stinking wolf was here to see it…'_ He grinned at the thought for a moment. '_Nah, she'd probably make me share the ramen with him. Keh! As if!'_

"I'm coming with you to find the shards." Sango's voice cut through the stillness that had again descended on the group. Kagome turned to the woman who had become a sister to her, eyes wide.

"Are you sure? You finally have Kohaku back now… we've gotten revenge for your village and family." Kagome had thought Sango would have settled down with Miroku now that their enemy was gone.

"Of course. The jewel originally came from our village. Kohaku can come with us. We have a reputation to uphold; we cannot let the jewel fall into the wrong hands."

Miroku looked up, "I will accompany you as well. I cannot risk the chance that Naraku may return. If he comes back, the kazaana may be restored. I must ensure that my family line remain unblemished." He turned to Sango with a smile, _just_ this side of lecherous, "And, of course, where my lovely Sango goes, I will follow." His smile shifted into a smirk as his hand crept toward her, "Just a few paces behind, of course, for the perfect view…"

Sango's glare would have put out the fire if it weren't aimed directly at Miroku. He pulled his hand back quickly, "But of course, the curse of the kazaana is a serious problem that I must be sure is put to rest."

Kagome hadn't thought about that. Her mind raced as she thought of how many children, grandchildren and beyond Miroku could have in her era. The thought of all those people suddenly bearing hands with black holes nearly sickened her. They just _had_ to get all those shards!

Shippou sensed his mother's changing attitude and sought to change the subject. "I'll be with you, too, Kagome! You'll need a strong youkai like me to help protect you!" Shippou climbed into his adopted mother's lap. Both studiously ignored InuYasha's snort.

Kagome gazed at her friends with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, you guys, for shattering the jewel again. I feel so much better knowing that you're by my side… and after all, with Naraku gone, it can't take that long, can it?"

OoO**OoO**OoO

InuYasha had given the girl three days. Three days to tell her family what had happened, stock up on new supplies, and recover before setting out. He had used those days to convince Totosai to forge her new ring. Now was an excellent time to get going. Kagome wanted to get in as much shard-hunting as possible before she started high school in the fall. She had been lucky to pass her entrance exams; she'd have to be on her mettle to avoid failing this year.

"_For… me?"_ InuYasha usually hated the three day breaks he allowed Kagome home, but this time, he knew the wait was worth it. He saw the smile crossing Kagome's face as she caressed the ring every night as he closed his eyes. He was even more impressed when Kagome returned through the well having read several scrolls at the shrine.

"Grandpa found a whole box full of ancient scrolls on barriers and various attacks," Kagome told Miroku and InuYasha excitedly. "Maybe, Miroku, you could help me learn to focus my powers more?"

"Now that your powers have been unlocked, Lady Kagome, it would be my honor to assist you in all endeavors. I'm sure there is no limit as to what you can accomplish."

Eyes shining bright with excitement and pride, Kagome grinned at InuYasha. He smirked. "Keh! You'll do, wench." She had obviously forgiven him for his outburst after she had re-shattered the jewel. He intended on keeping it that way. There was nothing that should stand in the way of him staking his claim now.

OoO**OoO**OoO

The group fell into traveling with the ease of a year of experience. Each day, Kagome and Miroku would wake up early to meditate and focus on harnessing Kagome's powers. While it started as simply a way for the miko to feel as though she was pulling her own weight, it soon became apparent that lessons would be _required._ Kagome's soul was huge; it seemed her powers were equally as vast. If she didn't have control over them, they would spring up at awkward times.

Kagome was learning to use the ring as a focus point to draw her power into her hands. Once there, she found she could direct it into different forms. She could start a campfire with a small ball of flames, and was thrilled to learn she could heat water for baths. She learned how to direct it to heal wounds, although she used the trick sparingly on InuYasha, Kirara and Shippou. She was afraid of inadvertently purifying the three.

Along with her new powers came an increased sense of awareness. She could feel youki from further away and could see auras around people as she walked. It took a long time for her to get used to the feelings, and even longer to decipher what her body and mind was trying to tell her.

"Something bad is going to happen," she informed the group one day. She felt a flush rising in her cheeks as the group turned to stare at her. Nobody had said anything since their last break, so her foreboding comment seemingly came out of nowhere.

"What do you mean, Miss Kagome?" Kohaku was the first to speak up, "Do you feel a jewel shard or youkai nearby?"

"No, Kohaku, it's not that." Kagome wasn't quite sure how to phrase her fears, and stumbled over her next couple of sentences. "I feel… uneasy. Something's wrong… like a cloud, hovering over us." She glared at Miroku, who was trying to hide a smile. "Not your kind of cloud, Miroku. There's nothing to be gained here, only lost." Still feeling everybody's eyes on her, she shifted from one foot to the other.

InuYasha shook his head. "I don't feel anything. What about you, Sango? Bouzu?"

Miroku and Sango shook their heads. Both could honestly report that they felt better than they had in ages. Despite their reassurances, Kagome still looked troubled.

"Listen, wench. Nothing's gonna happen. We're a pack. We've got each other's backs."

Shippou nodded in agreement. "I'll protect you, Kagome! We'll be okay!" The miko smiled at the eager look on the kitsune's face. Kirara mewed as she ran up to perch on Kagome's shoulder. How could she be upset when she was surrounded by people she loved?

OoO**OoO**OoO

The pack had been on the trail for two weeks before they picked up their first shard rumor. A bear youkai had been rampaging through the Western Lands, much more powerful than before, and more brave than shy. It was said just one swipe of a paw would send a full-grown man flying through the air.

InuYasha had wanted to avoid Sesshoumaru's land for the time being, but a tip was a tip, and they couldn't afford to avoid entire sections of Japan simply due to who ruled the land. The group moved accordingly, and found themselves on the Inu no Taisho's land by nightfall.

They hadn't been in the West for more than a few hours before Kagome felt Lord Sesshoumaru's powerful and distinctive youki brush against her subconscious. She called a halt for the night; even InuYasha was willing to stop. They had traveled long and hard to get where they were, and a night's sleep would be necessary before tackling a shard-enhanced youkai. The group had just finished setting up camp when the tall youkai walked into the clearing.

"Little brother," Sesshoumaru said in a quiet voice, "I would speak with you."

InuYasha jumped down from the tree he had been relaxing in. He had a hand on Tetsusaiga, more out of habit than actual irritation. The two brothers may never be close, but there had been a lack of open hostility between the two ever since Sesshoumaru had possessed Bakusaiga.

"Kagome, don't go wandering off alone while we're here." InuYasha warned the miko, waiting for her to nod in agreement before he walked off with his brother.

"What? We may be on your lands, but you know we're just passing through. This can't be a social call…" Two sets of amber eyes met coldly. There was quiet. About a minute later, InuYasha averted his gaze.

Sesshoumaru allowed a rare smile to cross his face.

"Little brother, you are ready. You will be my beta."

OoO**OoO**OoO

**A/N:**

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	3. Chapter 2: Beta

Pack Law

Chapter 2: Beta

InuYasha's flood of anger overrode his instincts. "What?!"

"Little brother," Sesshoumaru repeated, in his same low and slightly amused voice, "You are ready. You will be my beta."

"I'm ready? For what?"

"Do not make me repeat myself again. You are ready to be named my beta."

Narrowed golden eyes met calm ones, expressing more in that moment of silence than had every really been shared between the two half-brothers.

"Don't fuck with me, bastard. I'd never make beta, not at your castle. Do you honestly think your vassals would half a half-breed over them? I don't even know Pack Law." InuYasha's voice was rough, but even he admitted there was an underlying hint of desperation there.

'_Damn it, no. I don't want this! Maybe once… why would he want me at his side now, of all times?'_

Sesshoumaru lifted a perfect eyebrow. "You have instincts; you've relied on them subconsciously for awhile now. Do not delude yourself into thinking I have not had my eye on your rag-tag pack as you've assembled it. The miko is a fine alpha bitch."

InuYasha snorted. "Don't ever let her hear you say that. She'll purify your sorry ass into pretty pink sparkles." A smirk crawled onto his face, "Then again… go ahead and try it. I could use a good laugh."

"You do not deny it? Your pack, your bitch? You acknowledge you are alpha."

InuYasha looked in the direction where they could hear his friends preparing for the night. "I'm alpha over a pack of humans, bastard. You know damn well the only ones who possesses any knowledge of Pack is Kirara and the runt, and even he only knows instinct 'cuz his parents were slaughtered. He only follows because I'm bigger, stronger, and 'cuz Kagome mothers him."

"For one who insists he knows nothing, you have accomplished much." The quiet admission halted InuYasha's thinking in its tracks. '_Did that asshole just compliment me?'_

"I…" InuYasha trailed off. Really, what do you say at a time like this? When your older half-brother, with whom you share an uneasy, unspoken truce, comes back into your life, proclaiming you ready for a fate you had thought eluded your grasp a century ago? It was all too much. "I already have a quest, damn it all. We're still looking for the fucking shards. What, would you have me give that up? Give up my pack and race to your side as if I've just been sitting around, waiting for you?" His anger grew. "Kami, Sesshoumaru. Why now?!" He all but howled the last line in desperation.

"This Sesshoumaru has made mistakes in the past." The confession, so unlike the cold, stoic brother InuYasha had grown to know, sent a jolt through the hanyou's brain. "Father's blood flows through your body. You are strong. You are stronger when you have your pack at your back. No, I would not see your pack leave. Nor would I step upon your honor in fulfilling your duties. You will not be chained to the castle. However, you _will_ be my beta. _I_ shall be Inu no Taisho, and you will be at my shoulder."

"Oh I will, will I? You make it sound like I have no choice. How do you expect me to lead a pack from 'your shoulder', asshole?"

Were Sesshoumaru anything less than perfect, he would have sighed, perhaps kneaded his forehead with slender fingers in frustration. But Lord Sesshoumaru did not show outward signs of irritation often. "I _said_ I would not have you leave your pack. I would not require you to join me in my home for longer than a few days at a time. You have much to gain from this deal."

InuYasha snorted. "Gain? Like what? I don't need your home, bastard. I'm accepted in the village by my forest. I'm alpha of my pack. I already have a strong sword. What could you give me?"

"It is not what I could give you, but what I could provide for your pack that should be of interest."

InuYasha was stumped. What could Sesshoumaru possibly do for his friends? "Keh. You mean you won't attack us? Go ahead. We can take you."

Sesshoumaru lifted the corner of his mouth into a snarl. "Whelp, you overstep your bounds. You acknowledge your pack is human. Humans succumb to the passage of time. Humans are frail, sicken, and eventually turn to dust. This Sesshoumaru offers a deal. Join me as beta, and be a strong sword-arm for me if necessary. In return, I shall infuse my youki with yours into talismans. Your pack will be protected."

"I protect my friends, asshole! I don't need your help!"

"You can protect them against the ravages of time? You think to stop time itself? Use your brains. Other than the kit and the two-tail, your pack will grow old and eventually leave you alone. I am providing them with a way to avoid that end."

"What do you mean?" InuYasha was loathe to admit it, but his brother had a point. He had been alone for more than 200 years. Now, he felt secure with his friends… his family… his pack. Damn it, he had been so worried that Miroku might disappear into his kazaana; that Kohaku might turn on his sister… that he might fail to protect Kagome and Shippou. InuYasha hadn't stopped to think that even if they overcame their deadly enemy, his pack would eventually leave him alone again.

"Father connected your mortal mother to him shortly after he mated her. As long as he lived, your mother would not age. She was stronger, healed faster. Not immortal, nor insusceptible to illness, but less fragile than other humans. However… Father died in that senseless battle the night you were born. Your mother lost his protection, and fell ill years later."

Bad memories were beginning to surface, and the hanyou shook his head. "Yeah, I remember. You're saying that… if I agree to… to _help_ you, you'll connect my pack in the same way? Why? Why can't I do it alone? And why would you want to?" To say InuYasha was confused and frustrated was an understatement. Damn it, he preferred his brother the way things used to be. They would battle, both would be beaten around a little, and they would go their separate ways. Now Sesshoumaru spoke of family, teamwork… things InuYasha had begun to think his brother had no concept of.

"This Sesshoumaru grows weary of your questions."

"I'm not just going to agree to something I don't understand!"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. _'InuYasha is thinking. This must be the miko's influence… he was never so methodical before. Yes, he will make a fine beta.'_

The tai-youkai sighed but answered InuYasha's questions, a sign of his willingness to work with his half-brother. "You cannot do the binding yourself because of your human blood. Your pack showed their bravery in the battle against Naraku. The taijya was willing to face my wrath, was willing to strike down Rin to protect the monk. The monk would have forgone any pain and death to protect all of you. The miko has come far, and has power this Sesshoumaru has rarely seen. Even the kit showed remarkable courage in accompanying Kohaku and Jaken to the battle. Your pack is powerful, and would serve the western lands well."

OoO**OoO**OoO

"What do you think Sesshoumaru wanted?" Shippou gazed up at his mother as she began heating water for dinner. Kirara had gone hunting while InuYasha met with his brother.

"I'm not sure, Shippou." Kagome slipped her ring onto her right hand and held it out toward the pile of wood Kohaku had built. After a second, a small ball of pink flame sparked the fire.

The miko had taken to wearing the ring on a chain around her neck with the jewel shards when she wasn't using it. The fact of the matter was that she just had _too much_ power to handle right then. When she wasn't wearing the ring, she wasn't able to see auras. It was a great skill to have, but it gave her a headache after a while. Had she been trained from her childhood, she might have been able to regulate the flow. Nonetheless, she was thrilled with her progress.

Miroku looked up from his meditation nearby as Kirara flew into the clearing, a brace of rabbits clenched in her massive jaws. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. Sesshoumaru did not seem to have any negative intent when he came for InuYasha. And InuYasha's temper has lessened dramatically in the past few weeks."

"You're right about that! He hasn't bopped me good in the past few days!" Shippou sounded awed when he reflected on the absence of the hanyou's temper.

Sango chuckled as she cut up Kirara's catch and set them to cook on sticks near the fire. "Are you complaining? I'd think you'd be thrilled." Shippou nodded in the affirmative, eyeing the sack where he knew Kagome had packed more pocky. Kagome caught his stare.

"No candy before dinner, Shippou. I don't want you spoiling your appetite!" She paused for a moment, and then flushed. "Oh, I sound like my mother!" A bit flustered, the young woman turned from the group to hide her reddening face. "I'm too young to sound like Mama!"

Miroku chuckled at the young woman's discomfort. "What do you mean, Lady Kagome? You technically are a mother to Shippou here. What do you mean, you're too young? Were you born in this era, you'd probably already have a family."

Kagome looked scandalized. "I haven't even started high school yet! There's still college after that, if I want to go…"

"What's coll-edge?" Sango questioned.

"More schooling she doesn't need!" The group heard InuYasha before he stepped into the area lit up by the flames. "Your mom said you didn't have to go if you didn't want to, you know."

Kagome nodded; impressed and pleased that InuYasha had remembered that particular conversation. "That's several years away yet, and I'll have to do well in high school first. What did Sesshoumaru want?" She began filling cups of ramen with water, eyes sparkling as she saw him take an appreciative sniff.

InuYasha looked away. "Nothing too important." He grabbed his food, but surprised his friends when he sank down next to Kagome to eat rather than jumping up to the tree he had been sitting in.

'_How do I offer the others a youkai lifetime?'_ InuYasha inhaled his noodles as he pondered his new problem. _'Miroku and Sango want pups. Sesshoumaru says they can have talismans, too, but will they make that decision for them? What do I do with Kagome?'_ Sesshoumaru's words came unbidden to his memory.

"_You must decide if you will take the miko as your mate. A mate connection will be easier to forge into a talisman than forcing a barbaric mark onto her. She may be alpha female, but you would be wise to claim her formally."_

_InuYasha turned a shade of red to match his haori. Who was Sesshoumaru to tell him what to do? Worse, though, he had a point. Kouga had been around not a week ago, sniffing around and letting everybody know that he was ready to take "his woman" to the mountains with him. As usual, Kagome wouldn't let InuYasha fight him, and instead informed Kouga that she needed time to re-collect the jewel shards._

"InuYasha? Hellllooooo?" A hand waved in front of his face; he instinctively reached out a clawed hand to catch it.

"What, wench?" He realized belatedly that Kagome had asked him a question. She looked miffed as she pulled her hand out of his grasp, though her cheeks reddened a bit as she ran her fingers through his.

"I _asked_ if Sesshoumaru had said anything about that bear youkai. These are his lands, right? Wouldn't he have heard something?"

Red and gold glinted off of silver hair as InuYasha shook his head. "He didn't say anything. We'll take care of it in the morning."

"Lady Kagome, you should meditate tonight." Miroku fell into his 'teaching' tone. "Find your center and allow your power to flow through you. It will enhance your sensitivity."

Kagome nodded. "InuYasha? You don't want me wandering off… but I need some place quiet to sit." Unlike Miroku, she still found it difficult to slip into meditation when there were distractions. Shippou was usually the largest one, and it was too much to hope the kit would slip off to sleep and leave her with enough time.

The hanyou agreed to let her go sit in at the edge of a nearby field. A few seconds after she got up, he took to the trees to follow. He made sure to stop and scowl at Miroku, who had a lecherous grin on his face.

"It ain't like that, bouzu. She needs protection." He missed Sango's knowing smile as he left.

'_Does she _want_ to go with Kouga?'_ InuYasha couldn't help dwelling on the encounter with the wolf youkai prince as he hopped from tree to tree, tracking the miko stealthily. _She didn't "osuwari" me last time we met; but then, I backed off when she told me too. The monk said I need to start listening… does she even notice I'm trying?_

OoO**OoO**OoO

'_InuYasha's been almost _nice_ to everybody lately… it's kind of disconcerting.'_ Kagome wrinkled her nose. '_You're supposed to be meditating, not thinking about InuYasha!'_ She drew a deep breath, twisting the ring on her finger as she tried to blank her mind.

Her focus on "nothing" lasted all of five seconds.

'_I wonder what Sesshoumaru wanted?'_ Kagome let her mind wander again. She'd learned the hard way that when her mind was swamped, there was little she could do to dam up the flow of questions. She wondered how Miroku got through his hours of meditation. _'InuYasha looked troubled when he came back from the meeting with his brother, but he looked… thoughtful, tool. It's strange how much he's changed since the first day we met.'_

Kagome looked down at the ring on her hand, smiling again. _'Would the InuYasha I first knew have given me a ring? I'm sure he didn't mean it like _most_ guys in my era mean it when they give girls a ring… He can't possibly understand engagement rings. He had my bow re-fitted, but I could tell he wanted to give me something special._ She giggled at the idea of telling her friends that her "violent, two-timing boyfriend" gave her a ring. Giving up meditation as a lost cause, she flopped back to gaze up at the stars.

And jumped when she came face to face with two golden eyes.

InuYasha gave a fangy grin. "Meditation, huh? Looks more like a lazy wench taking a nap to me!" There was no sting in his voice, though, and Kagome thought she actually heard a touch of… playfulness?

She cocked her head at him. _'I could drown in his eyes. He's so… unguarded lately. It's weird…'_

"Oi! What are you staring at?"

"You." Kagome said. She flushed a few seconds later as her response connected to her brain. _'Shouldn't my brain be telling my mouth what to say, not the other way around?'_

InuYasha chuckled at the disconcerted look on her face. "You're more tired that you let on." _'Why was she staring at me?'_ He saw her shiver as the breeze gusted. Normally, he would have whipped off his haori and offered it to her. Tonight, though…

Kagome gasped as InuYasha bent down and pulled her up against his chest. She was sure he could hear her heart beat, it was pounding so hard. He settled his chin on top of her head, wrapping his arms around her. "Oi, why didn't say you were cold?" Kagome didn't answer, trying unsuccessfully to figure out what to say. He tried again, "What are you thinking about?"

It took a moment for Kagome to find her voice. "You've changed."

InuYasha wasn't sure if she meant it as a compliment or not. Hesitantly, wondering if he really wanted to know, he asked "Is that good?"

"Do you remember how we met?"

"How could I forget something like that? You woke me up, freed me… and bound me in the same night."

"I'll remind you that it was Kaede who actually put those beads on you."

"Yeah, but you said the word." _'The beads aren't what I was talking about, wench.'_

"She told me to!" Even the arguing was light-hearted. Kagome sighed contentedly, leaning back into InuYasha to stare up at the stars. "Besides, you were trying to kill me, remember?"

InuYasha buried his nose in her hair, relishing in her nearness. "You still think that, after all this time? Do you really think I would have killed you?"

"Nah," Kagome mused, "I think you were missing on purpose. You're too powerful to have missed me if you had really wanted to catch me." She grinned as his chest swelled a bit at the compliment. She continued as she felt him nod against the back of her head. "And I don't think you've changed all that much. You just let a softer side out more often. I like it," she admitted shyly. She admired the way the starlight flickered off her ring. She tugged off her necklace and strung the ring on it. It settled next to the small bottle of jewel shards, tinkling lightly.

InuYasha had never felt so comfortable. _'What is this wench doing to me?'_ He couldn't even form a half-hearted complaint about her saying he was going soft. She snuggled back against him; he tightened his arms a bit more as she looked up at him.

"Do you mind if we stay like this a little longer?"

'_We can stay like this forever…'_ InuYasha shifted."Keh. Can't have you getting sick."

She just smiled and rested her cheek on his shoulder. Kagome always heard his thoughts through what he actually said. His ears twitched as he took in surrounding noises.

The miko fell asleep in his arms.

They stayed like that until morning.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	4. Chapter 3: Pack

Pack Law

Chapter 3: Pack

"INUYASHA!"

Said hanyou grunted as he slammed backward into a tree, cracking it in half.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango hurled her bone boomerang at the bear youkai; the youkai growled and batted the weapon away as if it were a fly.

"Damn it! Kagome, where is the shard??" InuYasha was growing irate. The scent of fatigue poured off of his human companions, putting the hanyou on edge. They'd been battling this demon for over an hour. Everybody on their end had at least a minor injury, and the bear looked like it was more than ready for round two. The main problem was getting the shards out before the power had a chance to heal the beast. So far, they'd had little luck.

Kagome wiped the sweat off her brow as she squinted. "One in each front paw!" She grimaced as she knocked another arrow to her bow. She hated killing, but this bear had taken several lives while rampaging through nearby villages. Kagome blew the hair out of her eyes, muttering, "We need to distract it somehow… and subdue it."

Shippou sat on the miko's shoulder, knuckles white as he wrapped her hair around his hands. He hung onto her arrows and handed them to her when she asked. He was there on InuYasha's direct orders to protect Kagome at all costs; Shippou wasn't about to fail his alpha. He heard Kagome's muttering and began to wonder what the miko had up her sleeve.

The monk seemed to have a similar idea. Kirara swooped down. Miroku hopped off to stand next to Kagome, muttering in her ear. Kagome's eyes lit up and she nodded, looking determined.

The bear growled as InuYasha shot toward it, swinging Tetsusaiga in an arc to hit under the ribs. The skin knitted itself neatly together as the youkai knocked the hanyou flying again.

The attack had been the distraction Miroku and Kagome had been hoping for.

"Now!" Kagome's hand glowed bright pink for a just a second before her power shot at the bear in a thin straight line. The ray of light splintered into various directions, eventually enveloping the bear in a net-like ball. The miko clenched her hand into a loose fist. The lights tightened around the creature. InuYasha brought his sleeve to his nose as the stench of burning fur began to permeate the air. Shippou hopped off Kagome's shoulder as her entire arm began to glow. Protection was one thing, but he didn't want to be purified in the process!

Miroku sprinted to the incapacitated creature, jabbing his shajoku into the ground right where the pink beam broke into pieces. He hoped it would help Kagome stabilize her barrier. "Kohaku! Pop out a shard!"

A chained scythe cut through the air, sinking into the back of the bear's left paw. A tug and a jewel shard flew free with a sickening pop.

Kagome began to sweat and shake as her control weakened on the barrier. It didn't help when the animal began to thrash around, maddened by the pain.

"Quickly!" The word was more a gasp than a shout. She brought up her second hand to cup the first, squeezing as though there was an invisible stress ball trying to escape her clutches. _'Well, if I think of the bear as a fluffy ball…'_ It seemed silly the way her sense of wry humor strengthened as she weakened. _'Must be InuYasha's influence…'_ Kagome grimaced at the stress as her arm began to shake.

"Hiraikotsu!" The second paw fell to the ground. The bear reeled back with a roar as Kagome let the power drain out of her arm. She slumped to the ground, spots dancing in front of her eyes. InuYasha let loose a volley of diamond spears, wiping out the bear.

Kagome focused blurry eyes on her hanyou for just a moment. Then everything went dark.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Shut it, Shippou!"

"Waaaah! You just wait until Kagome wakes up! She'll 'osuwari' you for sure when I tell her you were hitting me!"

The air reverberated with InuYasha's growling. Kagome's first thought upon waking was that InuYasha's anger level was reaching critical, and fast. Her head still throbbed, though, and opening her eyes sounded like a fate worse than death. Sitting up seemed an even worse idea. _'What happened to me?'_ Heck, even _thinking_ hurt. She groaned.

Silence.

'_Wow, even an 'osuwari' doesn't get this kind of reaction. I must have been really out of it… what happened?'_ Kagome heard fabric rustling. A second later, light streamed through her eyelids. She squeezed them shut as the light sent bolts of pain straight to her temple. _'It's so bright… it must still be daytime. I guess I wasn't out for _that_ long, it was still mid-morning when we were fighting that bear.'_

"Are you feeling okay, Kagome?" Sango's voice was quiet. Kagome heard water dripping. "You've been out for two days; we've been really worried about you! If it weren't for all of our injuries, we would have rushed you to Kaede's place." A snort to Kagome's side let her know InuYasha was displeased with the fact that they hadn't. A wet cloth was placed over her eyes. The darkness was welcome.

'_Two days??'_ Kagome licked her lips. Her mouth was so dry, she was sure she wouldn't be able to speak. She felt a clawed hand lift her head slightly. A few seconds later, a few drops of cool water trickled into her mouth. "T'ank you…"

"Shhh. Do you have a headache? Miroku says you probably just overdid it." InuYasha's voice was softer than she had ever really heard it. "That, and blood-loss." Hs voice was a bit harder now and quickly moving back to normal. "Are you COMPLETELY stupid? That bear youkai almost took your head off… did you even notice how much you were bleeding?"

'_Bleeding?'_ Kagome realized her arm was in a sling, and vaguely recalled the bear slapping at her. He must have caught her in the back as she spun away. _'I probably didn't feel it because of the adrenaline rush.'_ Kagome cast her mind elsewhere; thinking about the injury made it hurt. "The shards?" InuYasha huffed as she ignored his ranting.

The young woman heard a tinkling noise to her right as Shippou pressed the bottle of jewel shards into her uninjured arm. At the same time, she heard Miroku's shajoku jingle as he moved closer to her. "Here. I couldn't purify them like you can, but I've managed to keep them from corrupting any further." Luckily, she didn't require the use of her powers to purify; her soul was clear enough to wipe any darkness from the shards. She placed the fragments with the others in the bottle with a minimum of fuss.

Silence stretched over the campsite again. Kagome was content to slip back into an easy sleep; everybody was recuperating from the battle, it was obvious they wouldn't be moving that day.

OoO**OoO**OoO

'_I need to talk to them.'_ InuYasha hated it when the group was quiet. It gave him too much time to think. To think about Kagome, the way she felt in his arms the night before they'd taken on the bear… the way she had slipped off to sleep so trustingly as he protected her… the way he even managed to catch a couple hours nap in her soothing presence. She had filled out in the year they'd known each other, she'd become a beautiful young woman.

He snorted at the trail his thoughts were taking him, shaking his head. _'None of that. The lech got enough laughs that morning when I carried her back to camp. Who knew he'd be awake so early?'_ The memory of the jabs the monk had made throughout the day brought a flush to the hanyou's cheeks; he lowered his head so the others wouldn't see. _'Damn, I really _am_ going soft. How often did I use to _blush_ around other people?'_

Once he had control over his face again, InuYasha glanced up at his companions. Sango and Kohaku sat near Kagome. Both were crushing herbs Kagome had brought with them, preparing to tend to wounds later. _'Kohaku's so quiet. I know we've told him it was Naraku pulling the strings, but he'll never really get over killing his kin. Would he want to live an extended life with that knowledge?'_ Kohaku's face would always have a shadow that nobody could lift. _'Would Sango want a longer life without him?'_

Miroku's staff jingled lightly as the monk sharpened the edge of it. _'What about the monk? He's just now really realizing he's not going to be sucked into that hand of his; would he be willing to live longer?'_ His sharp eyes caught Miroku's "covert" glances at Sango's backside as she leaned forward to dribble some water into a paste she was making. _'Keh. He'd probably stay if she did.'_

Shippou was curled nearest Kagome, looking more like a growth on her side than a kit. _'He'll live long anyway, with us to fend for him. Kit'd probably be delighted to be formally adopted, though.'_

Decision made, InuYasha stood and stalked to Sango.

"We need to talk. Just you and me. Miroku?" The monk looked up. "Keep an eye on Kagome. We won't go far, but yell if she wakes up and needs anything. Kohaku?" The younger taijya turned his full attention on InuYasha. "Make sure the lech keeps his hands to himself."

InuYasha and Sango stepped away into the surrounding forest. _'She's taijya. She's got the most youkai knowledge; it'll be easiest to talk to her about it first. Plus, her answer will probably be the deciding factor for Miroku.'_

When they were far enough away from the group to not be heard, InuYasha motioned for Sango to sit. Leaning against a tree, he stared at the woman. She met his gaze calmly. _'She trusts me. All of them do. They trust me to make the right decisions, to stick with me.'_ The sudden realization helped InuYasha get over his fear of rejection and get straight to the point.

"Youkai live a long time." _'Okay, maybe a little _too_ straight to the point,'_ InuYasha thought the second the words left his mouth. Sango lifted an eyebrow at him in what only Kagome could have described as a _'No shit, Sherlock'_ expression. If Kagome swore, which she didn't. As it was, InuYasha felt stupid and turned his head to avoid Sango's slightly amused look. "Humans don't." Sango sobered.

"That's true… what's this about, InuYasha?"

"What do you know about packs? About youkai and Pack Law?"

The question caught Sango off-guard. She found herself lost in thought for a moment as she tried to answer. "Well, father said the smartest of demons form packs, or bands. Like Kouga and his wolves, there's a Pack Leader, or two, and they're generally the ones that call the shots." She shrugged, "I guess you could say we're a pack. You're inu-hanyou, and the strongest, so you'd probably be our alpha. Kagome keeps us all together and is like a mother to Shippou, so she'd probably be considered our alpha female to any youkai, right?"

InuYasha was appreciative to hear Sango refer to him as alpha. His one concern with her had been her knowledge of where everybody stood in the group. They had to all see him as alpha, or this plan would never work out. Nobody in Sesshoumaru's domain would respect a human alpha male. He wouldn't admit it, but he was also pleased to hear her refer to Kagome as the alpha female. "Keh. Close enough. What do you know about Pack Law?"

Sango was quiet as she tried to recall anything her father had told her. "Mainly that it's based on instincts and survival. For example, if we were all youkai, Pack Law would dictate that we do what you tell us to, because you're in charge. I think father once said that most species of youkai had a tai-youkai leading them, a sort of alpha over all alphas. Wasn't your father Inu no Taisho? If I remember correctly, your brother would be next in line…" Sango trailed off, eyeing InuYasha speculatively. "Are you thinking about challenging for Inu no Taisho?"

Shocked, InuYasha shook his head wildly. "Hell no! Me? As if any of the tight-asses in the West would look to a hanyou in charge." He snorted at the idea. "They'd try to kill me in a heartbeat."

Sango gazed at him. InuYasha seemed almost nervous. _'What is he thinking?'_ After silence stretched for a few moments, she sighed. "InuYasha, why did you call me out here?"

More silence. InuYasha cleared his throat, looking away, and then hunkered down to stare Sango in the eye. "Sango, if you could… if you could have an extended lifespan, would you?"

Sango stared back. "What? Like a youkai's, you mean?" InuYasha nodded. "I… well, wouldn't that mean I'd have to mate with a youkai?" She flushed, wondering if InuYasha was insinuating what it sounded like.

InuYasha's eyes grew wide as he shook his head again. "No! No, that's not what I'm suggesting. No! I mean…" he looked away, "We're a pack, like you said. Sesshoumaru came to me and told me he wants me as beta when he formally takes Inu no Taisho status and moves into father's castle in the West."

Sango was shocked. "Sesshoumaru? Wants you as beta? That's a lot of responsibility, InuYasha. Would you do it?"

The hanyou shook his head, but then nodded. "It was something I wanted, once. I thought it'd make me belong, feel like a real family. But we're pack; _we're_ a family, right?" Sango nodded with a small smile, encouraging him to continue. "I don't want to lose that. Sesshoumaru thinks we're strong, and he'd like to formally take us in for the West. That way, we'd still be able to hunt for shards and stuff…" InuYasha trailed off. "Thing is… mother died when I was young. I don't want to lose you guys, too. I know it's selfish, but I want to keep you guys with me."

That was one of the longest speeches Sango had ever heard from InuYasha. She was touched that he wanted them with her, but saw a major loophole in his thoughts.

"InuYasha, I'm human. Miroku, Kohaku and Kagome are human. You'll live for a long time past when we die." It was blunt, but honest. She didn't want to promise something she couldn't give.

"I know," he replied, and looked her straight in the eye. "But Sesshoumaru says there's a way to tie you four to me and him. Your lives would slow with the power of our youki. It's not like mating, but you'd be stronger and heal faster. I know Kohaku has a hard time dealing with what he did to your clan… this would give him time to make reparations for that. I know you and the lech want pups," he grinned as Sango turned bright red, "and we'd extend the same protection to them, too. They'd be pack, too."

Sango looked toward where they had made camp. "Have you mentioned this to Kagome? To Miroku?"

InuYasha shook his head. "Feh, I thought I'd mention it to you first. You're a hell of a fighter, Sango; we could really use you sticking with us. Miroku probably won't if you won't…" Sango blushed again, "And… Kagome's… different. I have to think about it."

Sango grabbed one of InuYasha's forelocks. "Damn! Ouch!"

Frowning, she pulled him to face her. "I won't do it if you're not going to suggest the same to Kagome."

InuYasha pulled his hair from her iron grip, glaring. "I didn't say I wasn't going to ask her! I said I had to think about _what _I was going to ask her!"

Sango smiled, eyes widening at the insinuation, then nodded. "Good. Do I have to give you an answer right away?"

InuYasha shook his head. "Nah, you can think on it for a bit. Not too long, though, Sesshoumaru's not exactly known for his patience."

Sango agreed, and the two walked back into camp. InuYasha's thoughts were already on how to explain everything to the monk. It would be harder, for sure… Miroku didn't understand Pack Law at all.

'_Aw hell… and what the fuck am I supposed to tell Kagome?'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	5. Chapter 4: Pieces of the Future

Pack Law

Chapter 4: Pieces of the Future

The group had been very carefully tending their wounds from the last encounter with the bear, but it meant they depleted Kagome's stash of medical supplies much faster than usual. Kagome was still fairly weak from the rush of using her powers. InuYasha fretted over her as they slowly made their way back to Kaede's village.

On the way, InuYasha had taken note of the dwindling medicine and ramen supplies and offered to let Kagome go home through the well for a few days. It would certainly be a week before they had all recuperated. Kirara and InuYasha had healed almost overnight, but the humans in the group were all sporting injuries of some sort.

Five days after the battle with the bear, the village could be seen from the top of a hill. Waving to Sango and Miroku, Kagome gave Kirara a small kiss on the snout and admonished Shippou to behave while she was gone. Grabbing her pack, InuYasha walked with her to the well.

"I'll give you four days, wench."

'_Four? Usually I have to barter for three!'_ Kagome raised an eyebrow at the hanyou as he looked away from her. He still hadn't decided how to approach her about Sesshoumaru's suggestion.

'_Hell, I can use the time to bring this up with Miroku and Shippou… and maybe the lech will have a suggestion.'_ After a moment with his thoughts, he snorted. _'Then again, maybe I don't want his hentai help. Maybe Sango?'_

Kagome could tell there was something going on in InuYasha's head, but the expression on his face suggested prying wouldn't get her anywhere. She wasn't feeling up to arguing with him, and decided it was best not to question his sudden generosity.

Reaching out to InuYasha for her pack, she quickly replayed the best of her memories from the last few days in her head. InuYasha double-checking every few hours that she was okay, asking if she needed to rest… his concerned golden eyes holding hers as Sango tended to the wound across her back… holding her hands as she squeezed them, biting the inside of her cheek as she tried not to shout…

'_He's really been worried about me!' _ The sudden realization flooded her with a renewed wave of adoration for the usually gruff hanyou. She grabbed the bag, and moving almost faster than Shippou after a box of pocky, pressed her lips to his. Then, blushing at her forwardness, she jumped into the well. The pale blue glow swallowed her up as InuYasha raised a hand to his mouth, golden eyes wide.

'_She just…she… kissed me?'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome's face was beet red as her feet hit solid ground on the other side of the well.

'_I just kissed InuYasha!'_ It wasn't their first kiss… but it was the first time she had ever actually initiated contact outside of trying to save him from himself. The days after the kiss at Kaguya's castle had been awkward at best, and downright hostile at their worst. Both had been so embarrassed, yet secretly pleased, and neither had known how to act. Miroku's constant teasing hadn't helped in the slightest. In fact, the monk had been lucky not to have been disemboweled by an enraged InuYasha at _some_ of the more _colorful_ comments.

Kagome brought her hand to her lips with a small smile. Well, they had been steadily growing closer. And, after all, she had four days to compose herself before she had to face InuYasha again. Hopefully _this_ time they'd be able to look at each other without blushing. This time, InuYasha hadn't kissed her back. He really hadn't had much time. _'I've actually had my lips on Souta longer!'_ she thought bitterly. _'And I _know_ he's had his lips on _Kikyou_ longer… but that's okay. Baby steps!'_

Her back spasmed a bit as she pulled herself out of the well, and Kagome's mind turned to the hot bath her mother would more than likely start running as soon as she saw her daughter through the window in the kitchen.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"So you're saying we'd be immortal?" Miroku blinked his astonishment at his hanyou friend's suggestion.

"Feh. Not so much immortal… you'd age like me and Sesshoumaru. I'm only hanyou, so I'll age faster than him. You'd probably age more at my pace than his, since the talismans would be made from my fangs."

The monk had a contemplative look on his face as he ran a thumb over his unblemished palm. "I hadn't expected to live nearly as long as I have. I have all of you to thank for it." Looking up, violet eyes met with gold, and Miroku noticed just how much emotion the young man was unsuccessfully trying to hide.

'_He truly is afraid of being left alone again, though he would never admit it.' _InuYasha looked troubled. After a moment, Miroku realized it was because he had yet to give an answer. _'He's been alone for at least 200 years. He protects all of us fiercely,' _Miroku's mind drifted to the time he thought he'd lose to the kazaana after sucking up a mantis youkai. InuYasha had threatened to chop off his hand if he opened his palm again. While InuYasha had insisted at the time that he didn't want to be held responsible for the monk's death, Miroku had caught a tell-tale gleam in InuYasha's eyes.

"You say you've spoken with Sango about this. Have you discussed the idea with Lady Kagome?" InuYasha turned away, crossing his arms over his chest in a protective gesture.

"That's… different, houshi." Miroku's curiosity was peaked at the almost embarrassed tone.

"Why? It's obvious to us all that you and the lovely Lady Kagome have grown closer."

'_You have no idea how right you are…'_ InuYasha's thoughts danced to the thought of Kagome's lip pressed up against his, feather-soft. The kiss had ended much too soon, in his estimation. _'Next time…'_

InuYasha was torn from his musings as Miroku broke into a chuckle. It was obvious where the hanyou's thoughts had strayed: 500 years into the future.

Standing, Miroku clapped a hand on InuYasha's shoulder. "My friend, I would be proud to be officially part of your pack. I am willing to throw my considerable talents behind you to support Sesshoumaru, as well. You did say that the protection would extend to any children Sango bears, right?" InuYasha nodded. "Then, with the knowledge that my family would be so strongly protected, I'm honored."

InuYasha cleared his throat as Miroku moved to walk away, indicating their discussion wasn't _completely_ over. "That's not all. I'm going to be Sesshoumaru's beta… but I am alpha of this pack." He turned his head slightly to judge the look on Miroku's face, to check for any sign of argument. There was nothing but acceptance in the monk's smile. "That makes you beta. If something happens to me... I want your word you'll protect the others."

Miroku inclined his head. "You know I'd give my life for all of you, InuYasha, just as you would. If I may, as your subordinate?" Miroku gave a mocking little bow, but the glint in his eyes led InuYasha to realize the monk was teasing, and took no offense to the idea of being below a hanyou in rank. "You really _should_ bring this up with Lady Kagome. Perhaps if she were to live as long as you say these talismans would let her, she would be more likely to make a decision in staying here, with us, in this era. 500 years is a long time… but she'd know she'd be able to see her family on the other side of the well again."

InuYasha had been about to repeat himself, that asking Kagome wasn't just asking her to live so long, but Miroku's comment stopped his runaway mouth. He hadn't quite looked at it in that light.

With a smile, Miroku judged the sunset and looked to the direction of the well. "Perhaps after allowing her a night with her family, you should visit her and make the suggestion?" It was a sign of just how serious he was that Miroku was suggesting InuYasha head to Kagome's time early. Usually, the monk was the first to tell InuYasha to leave Kagome be. With InuYasha's nod of assent, Miroku began the walk back to Lady Kaede's hut.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome had gone straight to bed after a hot dinner and a hot bath. Mama had bit her lip when she saw the wound across her daughter's back, but was assured it was healing well. Kagome tried to avoid going home with any major injuries, but InuYasha had almost insisted, and she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Well, not often, anyway.

When she awoke the next morning, her first thought was to the shopping she hoped to accomplish that day. There was no way to tell if InuYasha's giving mood would stretch the full four days he had offered; she planned on being prepared for him to come and drag her back the next day as usual.

'_Ramen, pocky, potato chips, bandages…'_ Kagome began her shopping list as Mama heated up some leftover breakfast. _'I must have really slept in!'_ Kagome realized she had completely ignored her alarm clock as she got up. It wasn't a surprise, really. She was becoming more and more used to a lack of most modern conveniences and had become rather adept at telling the time by the sun. Her body was usually attuned (thanks to InuYasha's constant "encouragement") to wake up with the sun. Her healing wound, however, had made it difficult to sleep even with the padding of the sleeping bag. It didn't really shock Kagome that she had finally gotten a full night's sleep on her soft bed.

"I've got to get going, Mama! I want to get all my shopping done before dinner tonight!" She stopped to grab her mother's credit card before she left, thanking her mother and the kami for her understanding. All of them knew Kagome would probably be avoiding college, at least for her first year, and so had raided her college savings to help pay for stuff on the other side.

Kagome's first stop was to the museum. She felt _guilty_ at what amounted to the small bit of deception, but when Miroku and Sango had found out just how much money she was spending on supplies, they had insisted they help in any way possible. Today, she was selling a "well-preserved" pot they had stumbled across in their travels. Pocketing the money, she shook hands with the thrilled curator and wandered out to the street. She _had_ admitted that at least she wasn't selling fakes… the items she brought back really WERE from the Feudal Era, they just hadn't had the centuries to age. This way, though, her mother's card wouldn't take the brunt of a hungry hanyou, a greedy kitsune, and several humans who were becoming quite fond of modern conveniences.

Her next stop was her favorite department store. There, she picked up all the shampoos, conditioners and body washes the group went through. Each had favorite scents or, in InuYasha's case, a lack of scent. It had become habit to make little gift bags for everybody.

A good two hours later, Kagome suddenly wished for her hanyou's help. She gazed at the bags and bags of goodies and treats she had bought, wondering how on Earth she was going to get them all to the shrine. With a sigh, she loaded up the plastic bags and began staggering home.

Her back throbbed in counterpoint to every other step. Sighing and sweating, she utilized every bench between the store and the shrine, wishing she hadn't forgotten her bus pass.

Three blocks away from the shrine, Kagome was resting in a park when a cold tingle ran from the tip of her head to her toes. _'A jewel shard!'_ Bags forgotten, the miko looked about. Slipping her ring off her chain and onto her finger, her eyes and aura centered on a tall man at the edge of the treeline. A quick glance around confirmed that nobody else was within sight.

Walking toward Kagome purposefully, the man smirked as Kagome gave him a once-over, moving into a defensive pose. His short orange hair spiked up in the back, giving him the appearance of a firecracker. Feeling the heat in his youki, she recognized him as a fire youkai, somewhat like Kirara. Unlike the nekomata, this creature radiated pure malice. The sensation reminded her disconcertingly of Naraku. His aura was like a shadow of the evil hanyou's. His eyes locked on the bottle of jewel shards that hung on her neck before he whipped his hand out.

"I'll relieve you of the stress of watching over those, thank you."

OoO**OoO**OoO

Ears flat back on his head, InuYasha knew Kagome was away from the shrine property the moment he scented the air after leaping out of the well. Her mother was home, though, and he didn't smell any of Kagome's useless friends, nor was that _Houjo_ boy's scent nearby. The miko had insisted she didn't have any school right now, so she had to be out restocking.

'_Her mother's always got ramen, though!'_ With a few hops, he was across the yard and sliding open the shoji.

"Oh, InuYasha! Kagome wasn't expecting you, I'm sorry, she went out." Mama had gotten up to start boiling water the moment she recognized the white and red streak coming across the yard.

"Keh." InuYasha sat at the table with an air of familiarity. Every time he came through the well, part of his felt like he was returning _home._ While he hated how loud, obnoxious and smelly Kagome's time was, he couldn't help but love how _accepting_ Kagome's family was of him, even though he was a hanyou. Even her crazy grandfather had stopped flinging sutras at him. Heck, her kid brother basically hero-worshipped him. For a young man who was used to seeing people flee in terror from him, the love and awe he felt at the Higurashi Shrine was a welcome change. Even better, Kagome's natural, soothing scent permeated the whole area.

A pleasant silence fell over the kitchen as Mama prepared InuYasha's ramen. Catching his fangy grin as she placed the treat in front of him, she reached out and tweaked an ear, giggling slightly as it flicked in response. She was one of two people he would let do that. "Kagome should be home any minute now. She called just before you got here. She left her bus pass on her desk. She said she had plenty of bags, so it may take a bit for her to get home."

InuYasha nodded, digesting the little bit of information and ears pricking to catch an undertone of worry in Kagome's mother's voice. He wasn't sure why. _'Feh. This is the safer of the two worlds. Only youkai we've ever faced were the mask and the Soul Piper.'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Get down!" Kagome had barely enough time to register the masculine voice behind her before she hit dirt. Listening to shouts from behind her had saved her butt on more than one occasion, she wasn't about to doubt it now. Still maintaining a small bit of sense, she made sure to throw up a barrier, as well. No use courting trouble if the person behind her didn't have her best interests at heart. It seemed she moved too late, however. A blazing pain seared down her back, moving in a different direction than her original injury.

Kagome heard chanting behind her, and looked up as ofuda went sailing past her head. They smacked into the youkai, sending him reeling back, cursing all the while. It gave her a moment to focus. A glow radiated from his left shoulder. She cursed not bringing her bow and arrows with her, not really thinking about how silly she would have looked traipsing across Tokyo fully-armed Feudal Era-style.

A shout brought her attention back to her savior, a young man who appeared to be her age. He wielded a silver staff with a sharpened point at the end.

"His left shoulder! His weakness is in his left shoulder!" Kagome was positive the young man who saved her was human. She was sure she could fend him off easier than the youkai. She was still weak from her exertions against the bear youkai, and could only do the bare minimum with her powers, even amplified with her ring. The pain in her back wasn't helping matter.

Causing another agonized scream, the young man plunged his staff into the youkai's shoulder as though he were wielding a spear. Almost as though he had seen the shard, almost as though he knew exactly where to hit, the jewel shard flew out. Cursing, the youkai man took to the sky as a ball of fire.

"Are you all right?" The young man came back to help Kagome to her feet. Her eyes fell on deep violet eyes that held a speck of humor to them, even following an encounter with a potentially deadly youkai.

"Mi… Miroku?" She just couldn't stop herself. When the young man lifted an eyebrow, she realized his hair was shorter and a very, very dark brown, rather than the monk's black. Still, he looked remarkably like her friend from the past.

'_Miroku's reincarnation?'_ Kagome thought wildly, trying to come to terms with the sudden thought that if Kikyo had been reincarnated into her, her friends could easily have been reincarnated into her time, as well.

"My name is Hitomu… Zenguchi Hitomu. You're bleeding." It was only then Kagome recognized the warm trickle down her back. Her wound must have broken open again.

Just a few seconds later, a white and red blur raced into the clearing. In a detached part of her mind, she wondered that nobody had come running to hear why the youkai had been screaming and shouting. InuYasha _was_ right… most humans ignored what they didn't want to see.

"Kagome!"

"Unc-" Hitomu stopped himself as he saw the hanyou clad in red hakama and haori. A white baseball cap covered his ears, but nothing could cover those golden eyes, tilted at his suspiciously. InuYasha had a hand on his sword and had almost drawn Tetsusaiga before Kagome reached out her hand to stop him, swaying alarmingly.

"Damn it, Kagome! What the hell were you thinking??" He turned worried eyes on her, noting that the fear that had tinted her scent was gone. This boy was not a threat. At least, not to her _person…_ He turned wary eyes back on the boy. "What are you doing here? And what were you about to say?"

InuYasha smelled a spike of nervousness in the boy as he bowed. "I am Hitomu. I happened by here when the young lady was attacked by a youkai. I helped drive Ken off, though he'll be back soon enough." Turning to Kagome, he asked, "You look like… I was going to say, you look like you're about to pass out. Do you need help to a hospital?"

"I should be fine." Kagome was slurring her words in pain.

"You're not fine, wench." InuYasha's eyes were flecked with crimson as the scent of her blood filled the air.

"I just… did you see something bright fly out of his shoulder when you attacked?" InuYasha let out a low growl as Kagome ignored his assessment, looking instead at Hitomu.

"A Shikon Shard, am I right?" Hitomu willingly handed it to her. "Guard it well. Ken's master has almost half the jewel. It appears you have slightly less than that." Blood flooded Kagome's face as she realized whatever attack the fire youkai had thrown at her had effectively cut open her shirt, displaying the little bottle of shards to the world.

"How do you know about the Shikon?" InuYasha's menacing demand drew Hitomu's gaze from where his eyes had settled – just above her breasts, too close for InuYasha's comfort – to the hanyou.

"We've been trying to…" His response was cut off as Kagome wobbled on her feet and slumped to the ground for the second time that week.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Hitomu – "One Dream"

Zenguchi – Roughly, "Virtuous Mouth"

Ken – Roughly, "Born of Fire"

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	6. Chapter 5: Questions

Pack Law

Chapter 5: Questions

Biting back a low groan, Kagome opened her eyes to a sea of white. Her vision blurring, she tried to move her arm up to rub her eyes, only to feel a clawed hand catch her at the wrist.

"How are you feeling?" If she tilted her head, she could see concerned gold eyes staring at her. They were even with her, though, not looking down…

It was only then that Kagome realized she was lying on her stomach on her bed. Her upper body was tilted up just a bit, with her head on InuYasha's stomach. He was laid out on the bed sideways. He couldn't _possibly_ be comfortable. Taller than her, InuYasha had his knees bent at the edge of the bed, his feet flat on the floor. Even then, his head was inclined at an impossible angle, a pillow between him and the wall. Blushing at how _intimate_ it seemed to wake up lying half on top of him, she tried to push herself to a sitting position.

Kagome tucked her forearms underneath her before InuYasha realized what she was doing and could move to stop her. Instead, she was halted by felt like a red-hot poker being drawn down her back. She hissed and bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. The few drops drew InuYasha's attention; he grabbed her hands, growling at her. "Stupid wench!"

It was a mark of her pain that she couldn't find it in herself to form a suitable comeback. From his vantage point, InuYasha could understand why. The girl now had an 'X' of sorts across her back. The bear youkai's wound had started to close up, but her exertions in the park had ripped open the deepest part of that scratch. Luckily, the fiery blades the youkai in the park had thrown had only clipped her. The most painful part was the section where the two wounds met, just to the right of her back.

The pain wiped all sense of propriety from Kagome's head. It being the main thing she could focus on, she lowered her head back onto InuYasha's abdomen with a low moan. Any _other_ time, InuYasha would be swelling with masculine pride to hear moaning come from his miko in her bed. But right now, there was only the roiling scent of "pain" pouring off her, and while he'd rather learn to dance with Sesshoumaru than admit it, it set him as far on edge as he could imagine. Worse than knowing she was in pain was the overwhelming sense of guilt.

"Kagome… Kagome, I'm sorry I didn't make it in time…" His apologies sounded hollow to his ears. Deep in her brain, Kagome registered that for probably the first time ever, he was _apologizing._ He wasn't calling himself stupid or making promises to do better, but actually _sorry_ for what he perceived as his own inadequacies. She pasted a smile on her face as she turned to him.

"Oh, InuYasha." She would have reached out to cup his face had she not been lying so awkwardly. "It's hardly your fault I'm hurt right now." Concern flooded his eyes and she figured a little ego-boosting couldn't hurt. In the back of her brain, it briefly registered that what she was about to say could, and probably would, be turned on her later. She decided she didn't care… and besides that, it was the truth. "I shouldn't have gone out without you at least being on this side of the well. You're always telling me not to wander off in Sengoku Jidai. But I forget just how dangerous _my_ time period can be. That's not even taking into account youkai randomly popping up…" The rest of her comment was drowned out by a yawn.

InuYasha's innate curiosity got the better of his need to see Kagome sleeping peacefully again. "What _happened?"_

About the same time, Kagome was coming up with questions of her own. "Anyway, what are you doing here so soon? I thought you said I had four days!"

"I…" InuYasha trailed off. Even _he_, the insensitive baka he knew he could be, could tell that Kagome was really in no shape to make a decision regarding her future right now. He didn't want her to agree out of sleepiness, and live to regret it later, especially if he were to discuss her becoming his mate. So he did what he did best: argued. "Yes, I said you could have four days. But I didn't tell you to immediately go hunting youkai over here!"

Kagome bristled at the insinuation she had gone looking for trouble. _'It's really not _my_ fault that trouble seems to be drawn to me like Souta to the newest video games. Still, I kinda wish he could have found me in a better position than having to save my sorry butt again.'_

"I didn't run into Ken on purpose, baka!"

InuYasha's face grew hard as she referred to the fire youkai by name. "Ken… Have you ever run into him before?" The look Kagome shot at him could have frozen the sun.

"Don't you think I would have told you if I had run into youkai in my era? How stupid do you think I am!?" InuYasha had opened his mouth to respond, something sure to cut the miko to the quick, when she interrupted. "You know what, don't answer that second question."

Kagome stifled a giggle. The hanyou looked as though he had _really_ been pleased with what he was going to say, and was none too pleased with her cutting off his snappy retort. That was reason alone to cut him off.

InuYasha snorted, crossing his arms over his chest with a pronounced, "Keh." Silence waged for a moment as he ran over her indignant comment in his mind. "Why are you upset that I asked if you met him? You called him by name! It just seems suspicious you'd be on a first name basis with him, that's all!"

"That's what that other guy called him!" Kagome's answer was instantaneous and almost more heated than before.

"That _boy_ could have gotten you killed, interfering the way he did!"

"InuYasha, I'm sure Hitomu was trying to help. And he really _was_ helpful. If he hadn't come, I don't think I would have been able to fend Ken off for long." InuYasha looked disgruntled at that assessment. _'Stupid kid, jumping in where he's not needed.' _ The hanyou easily overlooked how he had been slurping ramen while Kagome was being attacked in the park. _'_I_ protect Kagome, damn it! Not a stupid random human male.'_

Kagome's giggle distracted him from thoughts that had gone from angry to far beyond that. He realized he'd been growling at the images in his head. _'Still, no reason for her to be all happy!'_

He glared down at the girl, "What's so funny?"

"You…" Kagome, bless her heart, was _trying_ to contain her laughter. "You were growling! I'm sorry, but with my head on your belly, it tickled!"

InuYasha's ears perked up. He had learned the hard way she was ticklish on her sides; he'd been trying to yank her out of the way of a youkai attack, and she had lost it. _'Crazy wench. Laughing in the middle of an attack like that. It's a wonder she managed to get off a decent shot.'_ Even worse, he hadn't been able to go near her the rest of the day without her breaking down all over again.

"Keh. You find too many things to laugh at!"

Kagome tilted her head slightly at that assessment. Had she had more energy, she would have probably tried to figure out if _he_ had any weaknesses. As it was, she was starting to droop as her energy left her. InuYasha noticed.

"Go to sleep. I'll wake you up when it's time to eat." The hanyou let loose a little rumble. Far from tickling, it soothed her into dreamless sleep.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"I didn't give you a jewel shard so you could lose it to the likes of a human." A displeased voice reverberated from the darkness. It sounded hollow, ancient… and angry.

"Master… I had no way of knowing either of those would be that powerful."

"I warned you not to underestimate them. I told you they were dangerous. You're only lucky you avoided a confrontation with the inu-hanyou. InuYasha wouldn't have let you escape, and for that, you should be thankful."

"I almost took down his human bitch, Master." Ken's tone turned pleading as he stared into the shadows.

"Impudent wench. I had thought us well rid of the fool after all these years." The voice sounded curious. "You say you sensed no taint in her aura?"

Ken shook his head, eyes continuously darting as the voice echoed from behind him. "She's as mortal as the day she was born, Master."

"Very well. Leave me. Be pleased I haven't destroyed you for your foolishness. You will retrieve that shard, and the others the girl possesses."

Ken bowed low, backing slowly out the door.

"Soon, miko, I shall know your secrets. I shall have the jewel, and I shall have you."

OoO**OoO**OoO

The next two days went by in a blur to Kagome. She spent most of her time lying in bed, eating or reading while InuYasha barked at her for "overdoing it" every time she twitched. _'Well, that's _probably_ an exaggeration.'_ The miko sighed. While she was thrilled at the level of protectiveness and caring her hanyou had shown, she was getting really bored with her room.

"I'll be fine!"

"No, you won't!" Arms crossed over his chest, he looked more like a punk bouncer than a hanyou. He was a living, breathing Great Wall of China, guarding her door zealously.

"Baka!"

"Bi-"

Kagome bit back a growl of her own. For all her lack of youki, she did a great impression of a pissed-off inu youkai. Rather, a _perfect_ impression of a certain irritating, overbearing, overprotective, angry inu hanyou. "_Don't_ finish that…"

"-tch."

"Osuwari." InuYasha hit the ground, his low growl interrupted by his sudden re-introduction to Kagome's softly-carpeted floor.

Kagome stepped over his inert body to walk down the stairs. She wouldn't have long before the spell wore off, and he'd be up and after her. She still couldn't move too quickly, but she absolutely couldn't, and _wouldn't_, spend another day in bed.

"Oh, Kagome. Are you feeling better?" Her mother was happy enough to see her daughter up and about. The woman kindly overlooked the _thud _that had echoed down through the ceiling, sending a silent thanks to the kami that the magic rosary hadn't dragged an angry hanyou through to the main floor. She set to work putting together a filling lunch. "I'm making oden for dinner tonight. When will you and InuYasha be going back through the well?"

Her mother stared over her shoulder to the doorway, where a seething InuYasha stood. "Tonight," he responded curtly. His tone booked _no_ argument. Kagome nodded her assent.

"What did you do with those bags I had at the park?" Kagome suddenly remembered she had gone shopping that day. She hoped he hadn't dragged her off and left the groceries and treats just sitting in the park, but she wouldn't put it past him.

"Oh, I've already packed most of your bag, dear. You just need to get your clothes together." InuYasha grinned, pleased that neither woman was arguing with his decision not to prolong this trip. It had been eventful enough, and he couldn't follow her off shrine property without that stupid cap. At least in his own time, he could protect her properly.

Kagome turned glistening doe eyes on InuYasha. It was a remarkable change in attitude, at an astonishing speed, but then again, Kagome had always been able to unsettle him with just how emotional she could be. She could flit through a full array in emotions faster than he could whip out a Kaze no Kizu. His ears went down a notch in suspicion. She wanted something.

"Keh. Spit it out. What do you want?" InuYasha tore his eyes away. Her face could get him to do almost anything, but he'd never let _her_ know that. _'Sneaky wench would probably con me into letting her come back every other day. Doesn't she know she belongs with _me_?'_

InuYasha shifted guiltily as he answered himself. _'No, she _doesn't_ know. You haven't told her what you think yet, and you haven't mentioned the talismans, either! She wants to be able to see her family, baka.'_

Kagome looked back over at her mother by the stove before shifting into bargaining mode. "I'll bring extra ramen and potato chips if you let us stay until dinner!"

InuYasha's gaze darted from the young woman to her mother and back again. She looked so damn _hopeful._ Could he possibly say no to that face? _'Of course not,'_ he sighed to himself.

Recognizing his agreement in the sigh, Kagome squealed and ran outside. "C'mon, slowpoke! It's beautiful out!"

OoO**OoO**OoO

Lazing in the shade of Goshinbuku, Kagome looked up at InuYasha sprawled in its branches. She brought up a line of questions they'd been bouncing back and forth the last few days.

"Do you think Hitomu could really be Miroku's reincarnation?"

InuYasha snorted, shaking his head. He knew she was watching him; her eyes seared into him as though she had – What had Souta called it? _'Lazy eyes? No… layer. Lay-zer?'_ He wondered if he should have been paying more attention when the kid had been spouting off information about his newest game.

Ears flicking, InuYasha realized Kagome was waiting for a response. "Keh."

"That's helpful. Why don't you tell me what you really think?"

InuYasha didn't want to. How to tell her that, though? "I don't think he's a reincarnation."

"Why not?"

"I just… I don't, that's all."

"I'm Kikyou's reincarnation. Why couldn't he be Miroku's?"

InuYasha cast his mind about for an answer that wouldn't have her asking too many questions. "Miroku's not dead yet."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Not on the other side of the well, he's not. He's human, though, InuYasha! There's no way he's still alive." The miko cringed. Lately, she had come to realize even if she and InuYasha came to some sort of understanding between the two of them, she would die long before he did. She ached at the thought of leaving him alone. _'If only his brother would warm up to him,'_ she thought, thinking back to the day the two had stepped aside for a discussion. _'Sesshoumaru could stay by his side if they were friendlier toward each other.'_

She cut off her morbid line of thought, watching the hanyou intently. His ears were flickering again, a sure sign that he was deep in thought.

"He smelled too much like the lecher."

"What do you mean? Don't I smell like Kikyou?"

InuYasha rolled off the branch to drop into a crouch at Kagome's feet, shaking his head. "No way. You two are… were… very different. I could scent the monk on the boy."

Kagome lifted an eyebrow at what seemed to be a reluctant admission. "What do you mean? Like, he's a however-many-great grandson of Miroku's?"

InuYasha nodded vaguely. He wasn't about to let her know just how strong Miroku's scent was on the boy. He needed to distract her. But how?

With a sly grin, he thought back a few days to Kagome's departure from the Feudal Era. Hey, _she_ had started it…

"I just don't think that -"

Kagome's voice was cut off by the press of soft lips onto hers. She was vaguely cognizant of his clawed hand on her chin, lifting her head to meet his.

Behind the kiss, InuYasha smirked. He had found an effective, _pleasurable_ way of keeping his wench quiet.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	7. Chapter 6: One Week: Journey in the Past

Pack Law

Chapter 6: One Week – Journey in the Past

_Saturday_

"Promise me!" Kagome's voice rang out in Kaede's hut forcefully.

"Keh! I ain't promising anything!"

"InuYasha, this _isn't_ negotiable. We made this deal three months ago!"

"Well, things have _changed_ since then, wench!"

Heads went back and forth as the two exchanged verbal blows, insults, and pleas.

The last two months had gone by quickly enough for the group. They had recovered three more shards, estimating they had about half the jewel.

Kagome had repeatedly stressed throughout the summer to the group that she felt unsettled. Something was going to happen; something big, she just knew it. What or when completely eluded her, but she wanted the group to be prepared. InuYasha had rolled his eyes, telling her she was "sensing things." She'd been less than amused. _'Psh, yeah. 'Cuz sensing things and seeing things are _totally_ the same thing, baka!'_ Still, nothing bad had come their way.

In fact, everything had been superb as of late. Nobody had gotten major injuries after the battle with the bear youkai (and Kagome's run-in with the fire youkai in the future). Kagome and InuYasha had grown noticeably closer, as well. The two could often be found cuddled up against each other in a tree while the group was out on hunts and chasing down rumors.

Miroku and Sango were engaged to be wed on Autumn Solstice. The village had been thrown into a frenzy preparing to celebrate the occasion; all of InuYasha's pack had been elevated to "protector" status and were honored above almost all others. The group was thrilled to find the villagers had built two huts on the edge of town, near InuYasha's forest. They felt it was only proper for the hanyou to be nearest the forest named after him. Right now, the huts were divided up between the men and the women, to maintain a sense of decency for the villagers. Shippou stayed with the girls in their cabin; he was seen by everybody as Kagome's son. After the solstice, Miroku, Sango, and Kohaku would share a hut. InuYasha was considered more "legitimate" than Miroku when it came to staying with Kagome; he was her protector, after all, and most residents entertained an unspoken hope that Lady Kagome would choose to stay with them as Kaede's successor.

The only negative moments had happened the day after Kagome and InuYasha had come back from their restocking trip. Kagome had haltingly admitted that she had found another shard of the jewel in her time… which, to her thinking, meant they hadn't completed the jewel in Sengoku Jidai. She was a little confused as to why neither Sango nor Miroku looked particularly concerned about the news. InuYasha had told her not to worry about it. Both had agreed to not bring up the mysterious young man who looked so much like Miroku. InuYasha was pretty certain he knew what was going on; Kagome, still certain that she had met Miroku's reincarnation, didn't want to dampen their rising spirits with suggestions of the monk's death.

Miroku and Sango had repeatedly told InuYasha he needed to get his butt in gear and talk to Kagome about the bonding. Even Sesshoumaru had shown up near the village a few times, letting InuYasha know that he didn't have forever. If he didn't bring things up with Kagome soon, Sesshoumaru would do it himself.

InuYasha just hadn't found a good time to really bring it up. Now, though, he was focused on preventing Kagome from leaving for a week.

Kagome looked ready to throttle some sense into the stubborn hanyou. Miroku knew it was time to step in. "InuYasha, be fair. I understand you worry for Lady Kagome's safety, but you _did _say she could go back for her first full week of schooling, uninterrupted, if she spent the summer months here."

The miko shot Miroku a thankful look. It wasn't that she wanted to leave InuYasha and the others here, but she really did need to buckle down. She was ashamed to have done so poorly on her high school entrance exams; even though she knew she was lucky to have passed at all. She was determined not to dishonor her family this time around.

The monk pulled InuYasha aside, ignoring his blustering to pin him with a glowering look. "Listen," he said in a low tone only the hanyou could hear, "You need to talk to Kagome and you need to do it soon. But nothing will come of it if you're both angry with each other. Why don't you let her do this? While she's gone, you can go to Totosai's and get those talismans made."

InuYasha was silent. On one hand, the monk had a point. He, Sango, and Miroku had all agreed that if there were still jewel shards left in Kagome's time, they needed to be there, no questions about it. Even Kohaku had agreed immediately. On the other, there were random, dangerous youkai in her time! He needed to be there to protect Kagome, damn it!

Seeing the emotions pass over InuYasha's unguarded face, Kagome began to smile. He was going to give in. It was time to wrap up this fight. "I promise, InuYasha, I'll be very careful. I'll keep my ring with me at all times, and if I get even a hint that I may be attacked, I'll come straight back through the well. Just… please? I don't want to dishonor my family by doing poorly in school again." Honor was InuYasha's weak point. He may not understand schooling, may not understand math and science and student get-togethers, but he believed in standing up for what you believed in.

The hanyou caved, with one warning. "I'm coming for you in seven days. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Be ready."

Kagome nodded agreeably. "I'll be packed Saturday morning."

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Sunday_

Kagome left early that morning, with a kiss for InuYasha and Shippou, a hug from Kaede and Sango and a good luck charm from Miroku. Holding her bow and completely full quiver, she once again promised InuYasha she would stay aware and come back if she faced any problems.

A few moments later, she was swallowed up by the pale blue glow of the time slip. For a few hours, InuYasha and Shippou lounged in Goshinboku. Though neither said a word, both were thinking the same thing. _'I wish Kagome were back.'_

Once InuYasha was certain Kagome wouldn't be coming back that day, he took off to the West. He'd meet up with Sesshoumaru then head to Totosai's. Shippou, Miroku, and Sango all swore to keep an eye on the well for any disturbances. With those reassurances in place, he took off.

'_Maybe it'll be easier to ask Kagome to stay with me if I have something to give her at the same time.'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Tuesday_

"Don't be such a pup, InuYasha."

The hanyou glared. "Have I called you a bastard yet today? If not… you're a bastard."

"I do believe you have mentioned that in passing."

InuYasha rubbed his jaw, letting a small, pained whine slip through his lips. "Keh. You got the easy part. The old geezer just had to take a bit of your hair."

"Your fangs will be back by morning." It was true enough. InuYasha could already feel a pointy tip poking through his gum. It didn't appease his wounded pride, though. The asshole had smirked while the geezer took his sweet time in prying those teeth from his mouth.

"If I didn't know you don't enjoy anything, I'd say you were enjoying this."

"Are you saying you will not do the same tomorrow? What will you do for the rest of your pack? You need at least five talismans, if you wish to provide the kitsune with one as well. Doing so will allow your youki to blend with his. He will be considered formally adopted."

InuYasha rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know. The kit'll flip when he finds out."

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Friday_

Gazing at his fangs nestled inside a wooden box; InuYasha grudgingly admitted Totosai had done a remarkable job. All five were hung on a silver chain, forged with Sesshoumaru's hair to give it strength. The wait had been worth it.

"After a while, your pack may also find they have a stronger immunity to poisons," Sesshoumaru had pointed out the extra feature of his youki being infused into the chains. His naturally strong youki would be tempered by InuYasha's more human-tinted aura. The incorporation of Sesshoumaru's youki would help keep InuYasha's in check should he transform, though with Kagome around, InuYasha privately felt it wouldn't be that big of an issue.

"You will come to the castle in a few days?" Sesshoumaru had finally given up his wandering ways with his rise to Inu no Taisho. His confirmation with the other Lords would be simply a formality, but one that couldn't be performed without his beta by his side. InuYasha was still having a hard time coming to terms with the idea of not only _needing_ to be with Sesshoumaru, but the very thought that Sesshoumaru may actually _need_ _him._

'_Kagome's due back tomorrow!'_ he thought elatedly. With a distracted nod to his brother, he agreed to go home, grab his pack, and head west. He was already planning his quick trip to the other side of the well. _'She'll be as happy as I am to see her, right?'_

"Kagome will be home tomorrow. We'll leave after that. Four days good for you?"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head slightly. "Four shall suffice. No longer, though. The other Lords grow restless as we waste time on formalities. Be sure your pack is prepared. Youkai are distrustful of humans; your pack will pose even more of a threat."

InuYasha lifted an eyebrow, "My humans? A threat to youkai lords?"

If Sesshoumaru ever debased his perfect image to roll his eyes (he didn't, but _if_ he did) he would have. "Your alpha female is easily the strongest miko since Midoriko herself, if not stronger. Your beta male also has spiritual powers. Your beta female and the pup are the last of a clan of taijya. Use your brains, little brother."

"Kohaku isn't a pup anymore." It was easier to argue with Sesshoumaru than admit he had a point. Kohaku had been the only thing he felt the tai-youkai was off on. InuYasha reflected on the torment still obvious in the young man's eyes. He had seen more than his share of sorrow. Hell, he had _done_ horrific things that nobody should have to endure. Sango and Kagome both reminded the young man that enduring is what humans are best at, and it would only make him stronger in the end. The kind reminders helped. Nobody pretended he hadn't done those acts, but they stressed the differences of Naraku's deceit and willingly turning his weapon on those he loved.

Sesshoumaru was silent as InuYasha turned on his heel and took off back to his village.

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Saturday_

'_Fuckin' _finally_!'_ InuYasha bounded down from his perch in Goshinboku. He had stationed himself on his favorite branch just a couple hours after arriving at the village the night before. A quick trip to the huts had Sango and Miroku shaking their heads; Kagome hadn't come by at all. InuYasha had tucked the wooden box near the futon he and Kagome had cuddled on. Her lingering scent was driving him insane. He decided a night in the tree would be preferable to a night being reminded about what he couldn't have.

Shippou was waiting on the lip of the well, peering down inside. The kit had made his daily appearance at sunrise. InuYasha would have left then, but he knew Kagome would sit him all the way to hell if he woke her up that early, no matter how much he wanted to see her, hold her, taste her sweet kisses… _'Stop it! No good thinking about it…'_

"Are you going to bring Kagome back now?" Shippou's voice was filled with hope and excitement. He hated going so long without his mother. The longest they'd ever been apart was the ten days InuYasha had grudgingly given the girl to prepare for her entrance exams.

InuYasha nodded as he leapt into the well, shouting up, "Make sure Miroku and Sango are ready to go! We'll make the most of the daylight."

Shippou had just turned to run to the village when he heard a _thump_ come from the bottom of the well. A silence so thick he almost choked on it filled the clearing for all of five seconds before InuYasha let out a cry filled with anguish, denial and frustration so heartbreaking it cut through him like a sword. The kitsune made a u-turn, peering down into the darkness. All he could see of InuYasha was a head of silvery hair; the hanyou's ears were pressed so far down and back that they were hidden.

"Kagome… Okaa-san… she wouldn't…" His quiet pleas fell on deaf ears as InuYasha let out a whine his human companions wouldn't have been able to hear. If they had been around, if they could have heard it, it might have conjured up mental images of a kicked puppy.

The two sat in silence until a roar drew Shippou's eyes up to meet Sango's and Miroku's. Both looked worried.

"What happened?" Sango pulled the now weeping kit into her arms.

InuYasha's low growl turned menacing, but there was no denying the hint of pained rejection that truly stressed how close the hanyou was to losing control. "That bitch… she… she SEALED the fucking WELL!"

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	8. Chapter 7: Journey in the Present

Pack Law

Chapter 7: One Week – Journey in the Present

A/N:

I know, at the top of the chapter? Whoa! Anyway, let's get this out of the way now: I love to do research on stuff, but when it comes to handling Kagome's schooling, it's DEFINITELY based in American education rather than normal Japanese education. They say write what you know… and, well, I never went to school in Japan (sadly!). Also, please note: this chapter runs concurrently with the first part of Chapter 6.

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Sunday_

Kagome left early that morning, with a kiss for InuYasha and Shippou, a hug from Kaede and Sango and a good luck charm from Miroku. Holding her bow and completely full quiver, she once again promised InuYasha to stay aware and come back if she faced any problems.

A few moments later, she was swallowed up by the pale blue glow of the time slip. She was suspended between 500 years for just a moment, then her feet touched down on the solid soil of her own era.

'_Is this really my home, though? I thought once before about how I'd have to choose between one world and the other. I guess that decision will wait until we collect all the shards of the jewel again… if we do.'_ Kagome had tried to hide just how disconcerted she was about finding a shard of jewel in her time. Even more upsetting, Hitomu had alluded to Ken coming back after her for the jewel shards. _'He wasn't surprised to see a youkai there. In fact, he was prepared with a weapon and ofuda. That must mean there are more youkai here than I thought. I wonder if I made a mistake in cracking the jewel all over again. Maybe I really screwed up the future…'_

Kagome kept her eyes to the ground as she tried to think if anything else had been changed. _'Then again, would I realize it had changed? Wouldn't my memories of my childhood change with whatever was affected by a change in the space-time continuum?'_ Now she was starting to sound like one of Souta's science-fiction and fantasy movies. She hadn't ever seen the best of them… and didn't really want her little brother worrying about everything. Kagome shook her head to clear it of the increasingly troubling thoughts. It overwhelmed her.

So engrossed was she in her thoughts that she never noticed the intense green eyes peering at her from behind the well house.

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Monday_

For once, Kagome was wholly appreciative of the early hours InuYasha insisted upon when they were traveling. She had woken up with the sun, and had her new high school uniform pressed and looking perfect. The pleated, plaid skirt was much different, a bit longer than the green miniskirt she had sported throughout middle school. She loved the jacket and the little bow.

Slipping on a new pair of shoes for good luck, Kagome grabbed her new shoulder-bag and ran out the door. This time, she double-checked to make sure she had her pass. She had to travel on the subway across town to get to school and didn't want to take a chance on being late!

Kagome sighed thankfully as she saw Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka waiting by the shrine steps. She had spoken with each of them on the phone the night before; they had decided to walk together since they were all going to the same school. Kagome still had a strange feeling of disconnect around the girls, but at least this time, they weren't asking her about gross, made-up diseases! The night before, before her little "conference call" with the girls, she had come to a decision with her family: they would tell people she was doing much better, and recovering at a sister shrine in the south. That way, she could go there anytime she suffered a "relapse."

"Are you upset, Kagome?" Yuka almost sounded worried.

"Eh?" She was back for a week of school; she was going to do her family proud! Why would she be upset?

Eri tilted her head. "Houjou's going to an all-boys school now! You two won't see each other anymore!"

"You're not interested in Houjou like that anymore, are you, Kagome? You have that two-timing boyfriend, after all." Ayumi piped up from behind the others. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I keep telling you guys, he's not two-timing. In fact, he couldn't anymore. Kikyou died last year." Kagome wasn't sure what pushed her to share _that_ bit of information with the girls. After all, it's not like it was really any of their business. Yet, their blatant judgment irritated her, pressed upon something that encouraged her to finally have them stop once and for all.

Whatever reactions the miko expected, it wasn't what happened. Eri sucked in her breath. "Oh, you must be really relieved. Now that she's gone, he can't go taking off after her anymore!"

Kagome gaped. "You can't be serious!" _'Wow, have I really outgrown my old friends that much? Are they really _that_ shallow?'_ A bit heatedly, she continued, "I'd never, ever wish death on somebody!" _'Other than Naraku… but they don't need to know that!'_ "How could you say such a thing?"

Eri at least had the grace to blush and stammer in the face of Kagome's shock. Yuka laid a calming hand on Kagome's shoulder. "I don't think she meant it like that. After all, it was probably a really horrid time for both of you. You said the girl was his first love, right? I bet he was really broken up about it. That probably didn't really help your relationship, did it?"

Kagome could only shake her head. While the other girls were "commiserating", she could only be shocked at their callousness. Then again, they had never known a world where simply surviving was something to be proud of. She sighed quietly as the conversation turned to the classes they were taking.

OoO**OoO**OoO

The miko blew out her cheeks in a sigh of relief as she lowered her head to her desk. _'I think I'd rather take on a raging group of youkai than have to put up with those three all day!'_ She frowned at the negative tone in her thoughts. _'That's not nice of me to think! They're my friends! At least… they were… but really, they've changed. Or maybe _I've_ changed.'_ Either way, those thoughts, and the fact that she'd never quite gotten rid of that unsettling feeling of "wrong" throughout the summer weighed heavily on her mind.

Waiting for class to begin, Kagome fidgeted with the ring on the chain around her neck. Amused, she slipped the ring on, keeping the chain around her neck but giving her just enough contact to view the auras around her. Her powers manifested themselves strongest in emotions; it had been a shock to realize the emotions of others would come out so strongly in what she gleaned from other people. Right now, the classmates around her exuded mostly excitement and nervousness. Still, it was enough to set her even more on edge, and she slipped the ring off her finger, keeping it on her hand.

A flash of red to her side, Kagome tilted her head to look at the girl who had just come in. The girl had red-brown hair, shoulder-length with a few dusty blonde highlights here and there. Brown eyes sparkled with interest as she gazed around the room. The only empty seat was to Kagome's right.

"Good morning!" The girl chirped perkily at Kagome, lips opening in a grin at the young woman's wary expression. Still, this person's happy attitude was catching, and Kagome quickly found herself lost in conversation.

"Good morning. I don't believe we've met?"

"We sure haven't! I haven't really been here all that long. The only thing I've done since I've gotten here is sleep! I hate jet lag!"

Kagome's interest was perked. The woman's Japanese was only slightly accented. "Where are you from?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't even introduce myself! My name is Sarah. Sarah Inoue. My father is Japanese," she said in response to the look of confusion on Kagome's face. "But I grew up in America. My mother is American. I guess you can say I'm half and half." She held out her hand for a Western-style handshake.

"Higurashi Kagome. Nice to meet you!"

Sarah's eyes sparkled with what Kagome almost took as surprised recognition before Sarah looked over her shoulder, out the window in the direction the miko knew her family's shrine was. "Higurashi, ne? Your family runs a shrine, right?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes, we do. How do you know?"

"My grandfather is from around the area. He used to frequent the shrine a lot, though he hasn't been able to visit in the last year or so." Turning back to Kagome, Sarah's face had a mischievous quality to it that seemed so… familiar. Maybe it was too early, though, because she just couldn't quite pin where she'd seen that look before.

The sensei walked into the room, and the women stopped their chattering to turn to the front. After greeting, the English teacher passed out a syllabus, encouraging the students to begin reading the first chapter of their books. The weather was beautiful, though, and Kagome couldn't stop her mind from wandering.

'_I wonder what InuYasha's going now? I wonder if he'll stay away all week.' _InuYasha had almost begged her to let him stay in the future with her, at first. She had reluctantly put her foot down. _'I just can't focus on my homework with him looking over my shoulder all the time! Or touching my shoulder… or holding me…'_ Kagome's face turned red as she realized where her thoughts were going. _'Ooooh! He's even a distraction when he's not here!'_ Kagome could imagine the sly smirk on his face if he could have ever heard her say that. _'Knowing him, he'd make some arrogant comment about how it means I should have just let him come along.'_

Fidgeting again, she slipped her ring on and off her finger, amused at the rush of emotions and sensations that dulled immediately upon the metal losing contact with her skin. _'I wonder if this is what it's like for InuYasha turning human. I'm used to not feeling as much… it's overwhelming to get so much information from somebody without them knowing. I almost feel like I'm prying. I guess if I had grown up with it, though, I'd feel incomplete without it.' _ For the first time in her life, Kagome truly empathized with what her beloved hanyou must go through monthly.

Kagome was so deeply lost in thought that it was only after a few moments of playing with the jewelry that she realized she was feeling a tingle of something _other_ than emotion; she was feeling the surge of youki tickling at her miko's aura. Not unfriendly, but completely unexpected at her school! The miko sat up straighter, slipping the ring firmly onto her hand.

A twitch to her right brought her attention to where Sarah had stopped doodling on the corners of her notebook and was now sporting an expression of concern and wariness.

Kagome stared.

Sarah stared back. Her brown eyes had disappeared behind a pearlescent, pale and yet striking green. Her reddish hair had turned almost copper in color, with no highlights to speak of. Most noticeable of all, she had two black-tipped, fuzzy red ears on the top of her head, pointed straight at the miko in shock.

'_Sarah's a kitsune hanyou!'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Sarah and Kagome walked to the music room together. Both had chorus as their next class. Both could tell the other wanted to say something. Neither knew where to start.

Kagome cleared her throat. In a low voice she _knew_ Sarah could hear, she muttered, "Kitsune hanyou?"

Sarah nodded. "Hai. You're a miko. A powerful one, at that." She bit her lip as she looked away, unaware that Kagome was doing the same thing. "I had been warned, but it really rippled through my youki when you did whatever you did to activate your powers like that. All my instincts told me to get up and run away!"

Now that the two had started talking, Kagome could hardly contain the flow of questions. "Are there lots of youkai and hanyou around now? Are you wearing a concealment of some kind? Is it only because you're kitsune that you've changed shape? Why could I see through it when I-" She slowed down as Sarah started laughing.

The American hanyou had opened her mouth to start talking when a young man's voice called out from behind them. "Sarah!"

Sarah turned, smiling. "Hito!"

Kagome's jaw dropped again. Here was the young man who had rescued her that fateful day in the park, running at them as if he was one of Sarah's closest friends. In fact, it looked that way, as he grabbed the girl and spun her in a circle, both laughing.

"You left so early today! I was still asleep!" The young man's voice was filled with laughter.

"Well, I've had enough sleep for a while! Either way," Sarah looked away guiltily, "I should have stayed around to walk with you here. I'm sorry!"

"Don't be sorry! Your jii-chan hollered a bit, and Uncle bellowed about letting you out when you don't know your way around, but I'm kind of used to it." Letting Sarah stand on her own, Hitomu turned to stare at Kagome. "Higurashi, you're looking better than the last time we met! You seem to have recovered well."

Kagome fidgeted; Sarah gazed from her back to him. "Recovered? What do you mean?"

"Ken came after her."

Sarah gasped, "Why?"

Hitomu tilted his head, sending the girl a look that easily read, _'Duh?'_ Sarah flushed and gazed at the ground. "Oh, the shards. Makes sense. He didn't get his hands on them, did he?"

Hitomu lifted an eyebrow. "Do you _really_ think Uncle would let him get away with that? Plus, Kagome's a really strong miko; she wouldn't let him take them. I was passing by at the time and helped to chase him off. In fact, we took one of his!"

"Now just one minute! How do _you _know about the shards, Sarah? What do either of you know about that fire youkai?" Kagome hissed the questions, looking back and forth. "Just what is going on here?" _'Why does it seem you're _way_ too familiar with me? We've never really met!'_

Hitomu met the concern in her gaze with a steady one of his own. "Be at ease, Higurashi. We have to hurry to class, or we'll be late!"

Kagome blustered. _'Just who does this guy think he _is_? My keeper? InuYasha? Kami-sama, why won't they give me a straight answer?'_

The bell rang as Hitomu grabbed both girls by the hand. "Come on, let's hurry to chorus. We'll talk about things over lunch."

OoO**OoO**OoO

Eri, Yuka and Ayumi were flabbergasted when Kagome basically blew them off for lunch. The miko felt guilty for the curt tone of voice she used when she asked them to leave her alone, but _honestly._ She had questions and she wanted answers; it stood to reason that Sarah and Hitomu wouldn't divulge their secrets with three mortal, clueless humans listening in.

'_I'll make it up to them later,'_ she promised herself. Soothing her guilty conscious with plans to take the girls out later that week, she pinned Hitomu with a glower that would have shaken a lesser man. She noticed, slightly disgruntled, that it wasn't affecting him in the least. "Spill."

With a smirk reminiscent of Miroku (it pained her heart to think her feudal friend had died) he replied in a smooth voice, "Spill what, Kagome? I can call you Kagome, right?"

Kagome waved his concerns away. "You can call me almost anything you want if you'll just answer my questions!"

Hitomu nodded. "Well, let's see. Obviously, youkai and hanyou are fairly prevalent in these times."

Sarah took up the explanation. "I _am_ kitsune hanyou, but all species are able to blend in with the general population. We've all got glamour charms to give us human appearances. My grandfather played a big role in getting them mainstream."

"Okay. I guess that makes sense…" trailing off, she put a finger to her chin in thought. "Hitomu, you didn't seem very surprised to see Ken had a jewel shard. In fact, you seemed to know right where it is. And it almost seemed like you already knew I had some. Can you sense them, too?"

The young man squirmed in his seat, looking uncomfortable for the first time. "I'm sorry, Kagome, but there are a few things I'm really not at liberty to talk about right now. That's one of them."

Changing the subject, Kagome wondered how the two knew each other. "You said you were staying with your Grandfather, Sarah? Are you two neighbors?"

"More like distant cousins," Hitomu answered for her. "Obviously, we're not related by blood, but we've known each other since we were young."

"And what about Tsukiyoshi?" Kagome had met the other young man in chorus, as well. The four of them had been grouped up to work on their first project; Hitomu and Sarah had greeted him as though he were a brother.

"Another not-related relation." Sarah grinned. "I noticed you weren't expanding your powers in that class, so you may not have noticed, but he's youkai, as well."

Kagome sighed. In half a day, her entire world had been turned on its ear. Again. This was becoming a rather common occurrence; she couldn't say whether or not she was pleased. She realized belatedly that Sarah had continued talking.

"-so we could meet to work on that music later today or tomorrow. What do you think, Kagome?"

"Eh?"

"I asked," Sarah sighed patiently, "How good you are with English. Yoshi and Hito are fairly fluent, and I'm fine; it's my native language, after all."

"English has usually been one of my best subjects; Grandpa insisted I learn it so I could help give tours of the shrine to American and European tourists."

Sarah nodded happily, "Then our project shouldn't be a problem. I'm so excited we're doing American musicals first!"

Kagome sighed again. Their chorus teacher was also the head of the theatre department. Johnson-sensei had explained to the class how he was over here a year on a teacher-exchange program from Hawaii. Most of the girls had been thrilled over his exotic looks. Kagome had been more impressed with his plan to introduce American music into what had been well-known as a traditional chorus program. Either way, she was thrilled.

"I'm sorry, but I can't come over today." _'I promised InuYasha I wouldn't go wandering off with people I didn't know. But maybe it'd be okay, since technically he's _met_ Hitomu…'_ The fact that InuYasha had been obviously distrustful of the boy didn't escape her mind, but she glossed over it hopefully. _'It's got to be okay, it's for an assignment!'_ She also inwardly admitted that she was really coming to like Sarah. "How about tomorrow?"

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Inoue – "Above the Well"

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	9. Chapter 8: One Week – 500 Years

Pack Law

Chapter 8: One Week – 500 Years

_Tuesday – Present Time_

"I'm telling you, she hasn't been anywhere near the well!"

Golden eyes narrowed. "And I'm saying you've got to be wrong!"

"She arrived Sunday mid-morning." A mew punctuated that statement with agreement. "Since then, she hasn't been anywhere near the well house. When I left, there was still magic in the well. I could _feel_ it."

The woman wasn't lying. _'What the hell does this mean?'_

"It's only Tuesday. She has three and a half more days to pull her stupid stunt."

Another voice, not entirely unexpected, rang out from outside the door. "She didn't do anything! She wouldn't!"

'_Damn it, bitch. Your little "trick" tore us apart in too many ways.'_ This time, unlike most others, ignoring the voice didn't make it go away.

The door creaked open; angry emerald eyes peered at him from across the room. "You think you know so much, but you don't. You're so damn busy feeling sorry for yourself that you never guessed there could be an alternative. Hasn't your time on this planet taught you anything?"

A low growl echoed menacingly in the room. "If you were anybody else…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. 'If I were anybody else, you'd have my head.' You're a liar. You're all talk and no action. Have the years made you soft inside?" The new voice turned taunting, escalating in volume. "There are three days left. On Saturday, I'll prove it to you. You've never believed in her, just like you've never believed in yourself. You find it easier to hide in pain and misery than to accept that maybe something happened that you and nobody else could control. She never sealed the well. I'll prove it to you!"

The growl didn't subside as the door slammed shut.

The woman spoke again, "I'm headed back. The shine keeper's grandson is a riot to watch, imitating you when he thinks nobody is watching."

OoO**OoO**OoO

'_I'm sure InuYasha won't mind. I'm pretty sure InuYasha won't mind.'_ Kagome's determined thoughts had been becoming less and less sure throughout the day. _'What InuYasha doesn't know won't hurt him. And he won't be upset and say hurtful things to me.' _Knowing her luck, her hanyou would choose that moment to make an appearance, even if she _had_ put her foot down about him coming to visit her.

Kagome gazed at the clock on the wall. _'Could it move any slower?'_ Math was her absolutely worst subject; she hated ending the day with it. The only consolation was that Tsukiyoshi was in this class with her. She had taken the time today to slip on her ring covertly and study him while he was working. Apparently he had felt her reiki flare, because he twisted in his seat to pin her with a scrutinizing look. She had gasped. His eyes were amber _('he's inu-youkai!' her brain screamed as she registered this fact)_; his hair was a platinum blue and hung to the middle of his back. Most striking was the crescent moon on his forehead, the same color as his hair. _'Those eyes… that moon.'_

The young woman hadn't realized she was staring until a low voice broke into her thoughts from just above her head. "Higurashi! You can fawn over Nishitaisho on your own time. You appear to be having trouble concentrating; go to the board and solve the problem."

Red-faced, the miko walked up to the board. Tsukiyoshi, that jerk, was sporting a very smug smile. The look she sent him promised retribution. He must have remembered she was a strong miko; his grin turned into a stoic look rather reminiscent of yet another inu-youkai she was rather familiar with. Of course, neither would outwardly show signs of concern… the jerks…

OoO**OoO**OoO

The bell couldn't have rung soon enough. After the embarrassing encounter in math class, she had kept her ring tucked under her shirt so she wouldn't be tempted to stare. There was just something _regal_ about Tsukiyoshi.

Sarah waved at Kagome near the front doors. "Over here!"

A strong hand grasped her elbow; she looked up to see Hitomu leading her unerringly through the crowd. He smirked, "Daydreaming about somebody we know?"

Kagome wondered if her face could ever turn red enough to never go back to normal. She swallowed, thinking Hito's eyes peered into her soul. "I don't know what you're talking about!" She tried to act prim, but it was hard when Sarah, too, was sporting a _kitsune-that-ate-the-pocky_ look.

"You were checking out Yoshi, weren't ya?" The hanyou had a sly grin on her face. "Hito told me."

The young man's hands went up in a protective movement at the shift in Kagome's aura, along with the glower she sent at him. "I was merely passing by in the hallway and heard your sensei berating you to keep your mind on your work!"

Sarah winked. "If it makes you feel any better, we all gaze at him and his sisters. They just have this _thing_ about them, you know?"

Kagome did know. While she had never felt _that_ way about InuYasha's older brother, she had to admit Lord Sesshoumaru had a certain quality that would have most women falling to their knees around him. Tsukiyoshi shared that undeniable draw. She just had to confirm; "Is Yoshi related to an inu-youkai named Sesshoumaru?" Kagome had come to realize her new friends knew _a lot_ about her. She wasn't sure how far the knowledge went, but at this point, it was futile to question it.

"Didn't you hear sensei say my last name?"

Kagome jumped. _'That's another thing all inu youkai and hanyou have in common,' _she thought wryly, _'they always manage to sneak out of nowhere.' _ Tsukiyoshi was smiling with the success of making her jump. _'InuYasha would be really angry if he found out a youkai had snuck up on me while I was just standing around. Then again, maybe that's how Ken got so close to me… It's those darn concealments; I can't see or feel through them without my ring on!'_

She was getting a bad habit of getting lost in her thoughts. Sarah waved her hand in front of the miko's face to bring her back to the here-and-now. "Your last name? Nishitaisho?" The meaning of the name hit her like a ton of bricks. "Wait… Sesshoumaru's father was the Lord of the Western lands-"

Tsukiyoshi nodded. "Sesshoumaru is my father."

Kagome gaped. "Your father? That would make him-"

The youkai interrupted with a laugh. "Ancient, I know. Believe me; we all enjoy giving him a hard time on his birthday. Mother insists we celebrate it every year, although Father says he lost count at least a century ago."

The hallways were all fairly empty by this point; Kagome was starting to wonder why they hadn't left yet. Sarah must have guessed what she was thinking, because her voice became very soft and very serious.

"Kagome… before we go anywhere, we really need to ask you something."

Kagome looked at the hanyou curiously. They seemed to know just about everything. _'What could they need from me?'_

Hitomu drew closer, kneeling to look Kagome in the eye. "When was the last time you went through the well?"

It was the _last_ thing she had expected to hear her new friends ask.

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Feudal Era_

"I'm not going! You can't make me!"

"Shippou!" Sango was shocked at the anger and sadness in the kitsune's eyes as he glared at InuYasha.

"I won't!"

InuYasha growled, so low only Shippou and Kirara could hear. The growl was an order. _"Obey your alpha male."_ Shippou's eyes widened as he was forced to look away. He had only ever heard his father order him in the language of canines. It pushed him, as a kit, on a purely instinctive level, to do what InuYasha commanded. For the first time since he'd taken up with a loving human, Shippou completely disregarded his instincts and pinned his green eyes back on InuYasha's face, refusing to look away.

The inu-hanyou's ears flattened angrily at the insubordination. _"Pup,"_ he growled again, _"Obey. We leave."_

Miroku and Sango stared, dumbfounded, as the two had their own little pissing match in a completely animalistic language. Neither knew what was going on, but both knew it was nothing good.

"_Kits listen to alpha female. She is not here."_

"_You have no alpha female!" _InuYasha's pained growl was accented with a short bark. Miroku thought seeing his friend act on his most basic instincts would be amusing; right now, it was anything but.

Shippou's growl became a low whine. _"Alpha female not abandon kit. Not abandon alpha male, pack. Kit waits."_

InuYasha was incensed. He was having a hard enough time dealing with Kagome's apparent defection. Now the kit was testing his authority? _'I don't have time to deal with this bullshit!'_ His mental snarl was more of a pained whimper.

"Fine!" He snapped, switching to a verbal language. "Stay with the old woman, then!"

"InuYasha…" Sango wasn't sure what to say. True, Kagome looked after the kit the most. But to leave Shippou behind? He'd been a part of the group even before she and Miroku had joined up. To not have him with them would seem strange.

Sango didn't share any of this aloud; the look InuYasha sent her dared her to speak her mind. Subconsciously she averted her gaze to the ground. While on one level, InuYasha knew she wasn't aware of what she was doing, he allowed the submissive act to soothe his wounded pride.

Shippou darted to give the humans and Kirara a hug before they left. The well had been sealed for a full day. InuYasha had tested it throughout the day, growing more and more agitated. The next morning, to the astonishment of the group, InuYasha had insisted they head to the west as originally planned. "I'll stay by the well. I'll protect it and wait for Kagome," Shippou whispered in Sango's ear as he hugged her good-bye. He then turned up the volume and twisted to face InuYasha, who was talking quietly with Miroku.

"I'll stay and wait for Kagome if I have to wait 500 years!"

InuYasha ignored him, turning to face the west. "C'mon, we ain't got all week. We're walking. You need some lessons in Pack Law so you guys don't do anything stupid near Sesshoumaru."

The humans exchanged a look as their leader – no, their alpha, strode away.

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Tuesday – Present Time_

Kagome worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "The well?" Her mind was racing a million kilometers a minute. _'How do they know?! _What_ do they know? Why do they need to know when I last went back?'_

Hitomu caught the worry in her eyes and grabbed one of her hands. "Kagome. I know this is a shock but…" He trailed off, not knowing how to articulate his concerns without frightening in the girl further. He sighed. "I know you've had a lot of surprises in your life already." He held up his other hand as she opened her mouth to interrupt. "Don't ask me how I know. It'll all make sense later. Just – just know this. We're taking you to our house today not just to work on projects. There are a lot of people who really want to see you. But you have to be prepared. You're about to learn some really surprising things… things you should have been told about long ago."

Kagome nodded, dumbfounded. "Okay... but wait, 'our house'? You all live together?"

Sarah nodded. "Well, right now, at least. It'll be easier to show you."

Hitomu looked at Kagome again. "Help us be ready to help you. When was the last time you went through the well?"

Kagome swallowed, looking around before answering. "I just returned on Sunday. I promised to go back Saturday." The young man's eyes narrowed, daring her to lie.

"Are you still planning on going?"

"Are you nuts? Of course I am! I have friends waiting for me! I have a job to do, I can't just abandon them. Wait – how do you know all this?"

Tsukiyoshi spoke up from near the door. "Your father's here, Hito. Kagome, maybe he can explain it a little better."

The miko's face was a concerned counterpoint to her cheery tone. "Okay! What are we waiting for?" She straightened her shoulders, steeling herself for… _'What did Hitomu say? "Really surprising things." Whatever that means. Well, whatever it is, I don't think it can compare to being dragged down an ancient well by a centipede youkai, and I didn't panic _too _much then. What could be more surprising than that?'_

Stepping outside, she got her answer.

"Lady Kagome! It's been a long time, you're looking well!"

Kagome blinked, doing a double-take, and then turned to Hitomu. "Surprising!?" she shrieked. "You call running into friends from _five hundred years ago_ surprising!?"

A very _modernized _Miroku grinned, offering her a hand into the SUV waiting for them. "Lady Kagome, you have _no_ idea. This is just the beginning." He sobered, thinking about what awaited them at the den. "I don't think you'll be too pleased with what awaits you. We should hurry, though. Our esteemed alpha doesn't know you're on your way, and he's been baring his fangs at everyone and everything today."

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Tsukiyoshi – "Righteous Moon"

Nishitaisho – Nishi: West, Taisho: General/Leader

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	10. Chapter 9: Feelings

Pack Law

Chapter 9: Feelings

Kagome stifled a snort at the seriousness in Miroku's expression. "Your _what_?"

Miroku lifted an eyebrow, trying to gauge her reaction. She seemed somewhat amused. "Our alpha." When Kagome merely looked at him in confusion, he sighed. "I told InuYasha 500 years ago that he needed to clue you in on a few things. It appears he never did."

Kagome gasped, the implications of her feudal era friend standing in front of her finally catching up. "Wait, wait. 500 years? You're _human._ How are you-?"

"Alive?" Miroku interrupted. "If you slip on your ring, you'll notice I carry a bit of youki around me now…" He trailed off as Kagome did just that. "Why haven't you been wearing that thing everywhere?"

Kagome waved off his concern. "Have you noticed how many _people_ are around right now? It's really hard to concentrate when I can't stop their emotions from flying at me. Now, I see that you have some youki, but _why?_ _How?_ Not that I'm complaining, but you shouldn't be alive right now!"

Miroku sighed. "We have a lot to talk about. Hop in, and we'll discuss it on the way to the den."

"The den?"

"Our home. It's really the home for most of the pack, which is why we call it by that name."

Kagome climbed into the SUV, sitting down next to Hitomu. "You _knew_!" She hissed at him and Sarah as they gazed warily at her. "You _knew_ I traveled to the Feudal Era because of him, right?"

Hitomu nodded as Miroku got in and pulled away from the curb.

"Is Sango still alive?" Kagome pressed. She breathed a sigh of relief as Miroku nodded.

"Lady Kagome, I need you to listen to me. There's a lot you need to know and not a lot of time to discuss it. 500 years ago, after you left to come here, InuYasha went to see Totosai. He had talismans forged with his and Sesshoumaru's youki, using InuYasha's fangs." He held up a hand to stop Kagome from asking questions. "Let me explain this first, and then you can ask questions, okay?"

Kagome nodded. Miroku's voice had a steely quality to it; it was a tone she only had heard him use when talking to Naraku and it threw her off. _'He couldn't be mad at _me_, could he?'_

"You came back on Sunday, correct?" When Kagome nodded, he continued, "On the other side of the well, InuYasha is getting those talismans right now. The thing is… you're not going back."

"What?" Kagome gaped. "Of course I am! On Saturday morning, I'm going back through the well! I even did all my shopping for it yesterday!"

Miroku met her eyes in the rearview mirror. His eyes, like Hitomu's just minutes ago, held a steely quality that momentarily caused her breath to catch in her throat. He didn't believe her! "I am!" She insisted. "Why wouldn't I?"

Miroku had begun to wonder that, himself. Obviously Kagome had not sealed the well. Her reaction to his statement had been honest: she was shocked and even a little offended that they would think she would just abandon their cause.

"Perhaps it's because-"

Kagome interrupted his speculation as realization hit. "Wait… you said InuYasha was- what did you call it? 'Bearing his fangs' at people? He's not angry with me, is he?"

Miroku looked uncomfortable. "He wasn't too happy when you never came back. Since you left, he's been even more explosive than he was." Everybody in the vehicle cringed as Kagome's miko's aura flared with the shift in her mood. Sarah and Tsukiyoshi visibly paled, pulling away from the girl in fear of an unintentional purification.

I'll have you know that I have _every_ intention of going down that well this Saturday. I can't believe that he would so immediately assume that I would do something!" she screeched. Sarah's ears flattened on her skull. "How could you guys believe that I would abandon you?"

Miroku pressed on with the air of somebody with more bad news. "I'm not saying what we felt was correct, Lady Kagome, but it was really the only possibility we saw at the time. However, Shippou has never believed you sealed the well. Even when we went west, he stayed with Kaede, determined to guard the well and wait for your return."

Kagome felt a pang in her heart for the fox kit she loved so much. "Poor thing, he waited there all that time! What do you mean when you say you 'went west'?"

"Do you remember Sesshoumaru approaching InuYasha the summer before you left?"

Kagome nodded, "Miroku, these might be distant memories for you, but for me, this all just happened over the summer!" In a far corner of her mind, Kagome marveled how willing she was to accept that her friends had lived so long and would be here in her time. Then again, she'd seen and done so much in her lifetime… what was one more completely weird thing?

"I really shouldn't be the one to tell you, but Sesshoumaru requested InuYasha come serve under him as beta. Sesshoumaru took their father's place as Inu no Taisho and needed a strong second-hand. As part of the deal, Sesshoumaru would infuse his youki into talismans for us, so we could live long with InuYasha."

Kagome gasped. _'InuYasha would never admit it, but his biggest fear is being alone. What a move!'_ She admired Sesshoumaru's shrewdness. "So you, Sango, and Kohaku are still alive? What about Kaede?"

Miroku gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Lady Kaede turned down the offer, saying she was too old to live so long." With an apologetic look, he said, "She always felt badly that you never returned, but said she believed it was due to circumstances beyond your control."

Just getting a hold on her emotions again, Kagome was torn between anger at the continued insistence she wouldn't return and disappointment at the thought of never seeing the elderly miko again.

"What about Kohaku? And what about Rin, the girl that followed Sesshoumaru around?"

Hitomu spoke up this time, sadly. "Aunt Rin and Uncle Kohaku were married and had three children. Do you remember that plane crash over the Pacific several years ago?"

The color drained from Kagome's face as a memory, buried deep within her mind, began to emerge.

"Wait," She gazed at Miroku, "That was you and InuYasha in the airport, wasn't it?" Miroku nodded, his lips almost nonexistent from holding his mouth so tightly. The vehicle fell silent as Kagome lost herself in thought.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"_Mama, mama! Why are we going to the airport? Daddy just left this morning... Is he coming home early?" The thought of seeing her father again so soon had the young girl bouncing on the seat of the car._

_As Kagome gazed at her mother, excitement eased into concern. Her mother had picked Kagome up from school early; they had traveled to the airport in tense silence. The 6-year-old had seen the tears streaming down her mother's face, but was afraid to ask._

_Looking around the terminal, she realized most people grouped together were crying. People were shaking their heads, making loud sounds of denial. Kagome's mother looked as though all the blood had drained from her face. The look on her face made Kagome wish she hadn't eaten so much lunch; it sat heavily on her stomach._

"_Please sit down, Mama! I don't know when Daddy's going to come back, but you know standing around isn't good for you!" She looked around, and then assured her mother, "I'll be right back, okay?"_

_Kagome began to wander the terminal, determined to find a place for her pregnant mother to sit down. Her mother had been prone to overheating lately, and before he left, she had promised to take good care of her mother in his place. He'd be upset with her if she failed!_

_The girl saw two men sitting in chairs near an oscillating fan. _'That's a good spot for Mama.' _As one of the men shifted, a ray of light glinted off his hair. It wasn't grey like she had first thought, it was silver! Kagome couldn't tear her eyes off of the pretty young man._

_As if feeling her eyes on him, the man looked up. He looked heartbroken, and his voice was gruff. "What are you looking at, kid?" The man's eyes were gold! She drew closer, slowly, as though she was being pulled by a string. This man… he felt so safe…_

_She stopped as the man sniffed, then his face fell. "Oh, no…"_

_A second man looked up, locking eyes on the now bashful 6-year-old. "That can't be… Is that-?"_

_The silver-haired man nodded. "Where's your Mama, wench?"_

_Kagome bit her lip, looking back at her mother, who had slumped against a wall. Her heart thumped painfully, realizing her Mama was crying again, arms wrapped around her belly as though she were hugging her unborn child. Resolve strengthening, she turned back to the two men, who were staring at her._

"_Um, 'scuse me?" The second man had dark purple eyes, filled with tears but looking at her kindly enough to encourage her to continue. "My Mama's pregnant, and gots nowhere to sit down…" Her voice trailed off as the golden-eyed man's face hardened. "Daddy told me to take care of her while he was gone." She looked at her feet, scuffling her sneakers on the floor, "Um, do you think Mama could sit down in a chair for a minute? I don't know when Daddy will be back…"_

_Her head shot up as the golden-eyed man groaned, his head sinking to his hands. "Kami, I never did ask her what had happened." Kagome cocked her head curiously. _'What is he talking about?' _she wondered, _'And will he let Mama have his seat?'

_The man stood, holding his hand out to the little girl. 'Take me to your mom, Kagome. She can sit over here with us.'_

_She could have sworn she heard the violet-eyed man sob as the other person said her name. She didn't ask how he knew, just thankful that she was taking good care of her Mama._

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome gasped. "Oh, no! Rin and Kohaku?" Miroku nodded glumly. For somebody who had lived more than 500 years, eight wasn't nearly enough to get over the pain of losing somebody you loved.

"Uncle Kohaku and Aunt Rin were headed to the United States with their family to visit Shippou. All five died in the crash." Tears sprung to Kagome's eyes for the sake of her friends who had suffered so as Hitomu admitted what Miroku had a hard time expressing.

Looking up, she realized the vehicle was coming to a stop. Miroku turned. "Listen, Lady Kagome-"

"Will you drop the 'lady' bit? This isn't the Feudal Era anymore and you're old enough to be my several-times-great grandfather!" Kagome protested.

Miroku smiled a tiny grin, nodding once, "Kagome, then. There are some things we can't tell you, because even we don't know what happened. All we know is that you never came back. We don't know why, although I guess we'll see soon enough."

Getting out of the car, she gaped at the huge building her friends called home. Miroku had continued talking; she guiltily tore her eyes away to focus on what he was trying to tell her. "InuYasha is-"

"Is right here, bitch." Kagome's head shot up, eyebrows arching at the hated nickname. Arms crossed, the hanyou was leaning against the building, looking to the entire world as though he was ready to rip a hole in something. She was blown away by the animosity in his expressive eyes.

"InuYasha?" She took a few steps toward him, hesitantly. All her instincts were screaming at her to take off, to go somewhere safe. Her beloved hanyou was a ticking time-bomb, just seconds away from exploding. She _knew_ this, knew _him_ almost better than she knew herself. The ring, still firmly lodged on her finger, was sending her waves of turbulent emotions. Want, need, anger, hurt, sorrow, the deluge was almost too much for her to handle. Her second thought was to soothe those pains away, to wrap her hanyou in a blanket of security and love until he was at ease again.

All those thoughts faded as he snapped at her again. "What the fuck are you staring at? You go waltzing off to live your life and think you can just come here uninvited?"

Kagome leaned back, stung, feeling as though he had slapped her. "What do you mean, uninvited? It's not like I snuck into the vehicle! Miroku picked me up; Hitomu, Tsukiyoshi and Sarah invited me here!" The miko could hardly wrap her mind around what was happening. In the span of two days, her worlds had collided, like somebody trying to jam two mis-matched puzzle pieces together.

InuYasha had turned his anger on the three teens accompanying her. "You didn't think to ask first? You bring a non-pack human to the den? A miko, at that?"

Sarah bristled, "Non-pack? What are you talking about?"

"Runt, I don't care what your grandfather says, but-"

Kagome broke into what she was sure was going to be a long-winded angry rant. She was becoming furious. "Honestly, InuYasha, make up your mind! On Sunday, you were beginning me to stay and requesting to come with me. Now you want me to leave?"

"I'm not the one who left, you did, bitch!" InuYasha bellowed, eyes flashing red for a second, jagged stripes beginning to form on his cheeks. On her finger, Kagome's ring flared red, then pink as it reacted to his youki.

Kagome bit back an animal-like snarl, "I left to go to _school_, baka! I'm still planning on going back on Saturday!"

"Yeah, well you WON'T!"

"I will, too, baka!"

"Bitch!"

"Osuwari!"

Three pairs of eyes widened as InuYasha was unceremoniously slammed into the unforgiving concrete of the driveway.

"Oh my. I had heard the stories but…" Hitomu trailed off, looking as though he were trying to contain a peal of laughter. Low growls and grumbles grew louder as the spell loosened its grip.

"Fucking bitch!" Miroku looked pleadingly at Kagome, willing her to forgo the subduing spell again. InuYasha had 500 years of alpha status; making him submit to somebody he viewed as a traitor grated harshly against his ingrained, buried desire to protect the young woman. The monk knew it was time to step in.

"Kagome, you cannot return on Saturday, not now. It'll change the past!"

The miko stamped her foot down, fists clenched tightly at her side. "I don't care! I'm going back on Saturday, whether you like it or not!" She turned angrily to InuYasha, whose ears actually flattened at the reprimand, hurt, and anger in her voice. "I don't know what's wrong with you. I promised to stay by your side as long as you let me. I haven't broken that promise yet and I don't know why you're so willing to accept the idea that I would. I _am_ going back!"

Turning to Sarah, turning her back on InuYasha, Kagome stifled a sob. How had things gone so wrong? Why was he so mad at her? How could he believe she would leave him so easily?

Worst of all, why did she still have that unsettling feeling that everything was going to go wrong?

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	11. Chapter 10: Reflections

Pack Law

Chapter 10: Reflections

_**Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes…**_

_**Five hundred, twenty-five thousand moments so dear.**_

_**Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes…**_

_**How do you measure, measure a year…**_

Kagome sighed, lowering her head as the music repeated. The groups in her chorus class were allowed to choose what American musical they chose songs from. As the "real American", Sarah had made an executive decision to use music from "Rent." Kagome had never seen the musical, but Sarah had a copy of a version her older sister had done in high school several years ago.

'_Not exactly my type of story,' _Kagome wrinkled her nose. She was more of a "happily ever after" person; she had bawled when Angel died. Nonetheless, the music was haunting. The four of them made a great quartet, though Sarah had giggled at the _very_ heavily Japanese-accented music they created. Now she just had to get the words right.

'_And the emotion,'_ she reminded herself. Johnson-sensei had stressed he wanted to "really feel the music." Kagome had settled back to focus on the words, playing the first song on repeat again and again and again.

_**Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes…**_

_**Five hundred, twenty-five thousand moments so dear.**_

_**Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes…**_

_**How do you measure, measure a year…**_

'_How _do_ you measure a year?' _she mused. One year ago, she would never have guessed she would have friends like she did now; hanyou and youkai she once believed to be myths were her classmates, her battle companions… _'And the love of my life.'_

Kagome's eyes darkened at the thought of InuYasha. Just why was he so mad at her? Why did he insist she had abandoned him? _'I'd _never _willingly leave his side!'_ Yet he had been so _angry_, so _hurtful_, so… _'Hurting. He was hurting. Why?'_

_**In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee…**_

_**In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. **_

_**In five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes…**_

_**How do you measure a year in the life?**_

She chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip, thinking back to what Miroku had told her while they were taking a break from practice.

"_You must remember. While it's only been a few days since you've last seen us, we haven't seen you in five hundred years. If you go back now, you'll change the present." Miroku had been unable to look her straight-on. "You promised to come back if you had any problems, and then just left_. _A week later, when InuYasha went to pick you up, he couldn't get through the well. But that day shaped who he is now."_

And now she was back to the one issue she couldn't wrap her mind around. _'Why wouldn't he be able to get through the well? I haven't done anything to it! I wouldn't even know how!'_ She was tempted to go hop through the well right then and there, if only to prove them wrong.

But would it really change the present so much? Would she even know? Would her memories of meeting her friends change with her actions? Ugh, thinking about it hurt her head again. _'Time paradoxes. Whenever Souta goes on about them, he never lets on how confusing they are.'_ If she hadn't promised her Mama a full week of school before going back…

Reflecting on Miroku's comments again, she wondered if he'd come over himself to make sure she couldn't, didn't go through. He was incredibly obstinate on the point that she _couldn't_ go back, since she _hadn't_. She snorted, looking around quickly; glad nobody had caught her in such an InuYasha-like moment. _'He can say what he wants. I'll prove it to them, I'm not a flake. I'm not a bad person! I won't abandon InuYasha!'_

'_But you already did…'_ Kagome groaned. Great, now she was arguing with herself! _'You may not have yet, but InuYasha thinks you have, and that's what matters. He spent so much of his life alone. Then you left him.'_

'_I didn't leave him!' _She rolled over. She realized she had lost the track of the music; she stared down at the words, trying to catch up.

_**In truths that she learned…**_

_**Or in times that he cried.**_

_**In bridges he burned…**_

_**Or the way that she died.**_

'_Five hundred years. That's a _long_ time to develop a grudge. How did InuYasha measure the time? Days away from me? Minutes to when he'd see me again?'_ She rolled her eyes as she realized how self-centered that sounded… but still…_ ' Kami, five hundred years. It's almost like I died, to him, maybe?'_

Kagome bit her lip, tears coming to her eyes. The worst part wasn't that she didn't quite understand InuYasha's hurt feelings; if she thought hard enough about it, she could almost figure it out. It wasn't his anger. It wasn't even the way he so easily referred to her as "non-pack" (though it stung, now that Miroku had explained what they'd been up to for the past five centuries).

She bit back a sob. What hurt the most was the fact that he didn't trust her not to leave him. Just when they'd been getting so close…

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Damn it!" InuYasha slammed his hand down on his mahogany desk. The wood splintered. Sighing deeply, running his claws through his hair, idly scratching his scalp, the hanyou didn't even realize he'd been growling until a cup of pens vibrated off the desk.

'_It's all _her_ fault! Fuck!'_ InuYasha pounded the desk again. Fucking bitch! What right did she have to come back after leaving him all alone for so long? What in all the hells could have compelled his pack to invite _her_ to the den without warning him?

'_She belongs in the den where we can keep her safe. She is pack,'_ his youkai rumbled. The annoying grumble had been fairly silent throughout the years, allowing the pain to fester in his human heart. The only times he had heard his feral, untamed youkai side were matters of instinct and the few times he had thought about opening his heart back up. His youkai was adamant; no woman, be she hanyou, youkai or human, could match Kagome.

'_She's not pack. Kagome left us of her own free will.'_ A whinier voice, feeling much abused, piped up from somewhere else. InuYasha bit back a snarl. For a while his two sides had been in harmony.

'_Yes, when our mate was with us, we were one. She brought us together, healed the hurts.'_ His youkai knew exactly what it wanted: Kagome. _'The miko is strong, wanted us, and wants us now. We could smell it in her scent as she stared at us, even through the anger and the sadness. Our miko wants us. We must protect her. She is unclaimed… power… she is still a target.'_

Her sadness… InuYasha's human heart may have broken that day in the feudal era when he learned he could no longer pass through the well, but _damn it,_ he was still compelled to rush to her side, to kiss away her tears. Like her aura, her scent had permeated his home, huge as it was. As the pups had watched Sarah's movie, Kagome had begun to cry. He had been shocked at the thoughts racing through his head as his youkai _insisted_ they investigate. He had thought himself well past those emotions by now.

'_Bitch, what you do to me… and you don't even know it!'_ His youkai and human halves were in complete agreement, though on opposite sides of the argument. Kagome had torn his heart apart with her apparent rejection; she pissed him off with her continued insistence that she hadn't done anything. _'Like I wouldn't fucking know! As if I wouldn't have tested the well again and again… almost begging it to take me through. Hell, I would have rather been stuck with her on this side than had to get here the long way…_'

On the other hand, the miko called to his feral side, enticed him through scent, sight and sound. Her aura crackled with power, even without wearing that damned ring. Kagome's scent soothed his youkai as it pissed off his hardened heart. The tang of her tears nearly sent him into a frenzy, determined to stop them, even when he knew he'd been the cause in the driveway.

InuYasha was familiar with unfamiliar emotions; one drawback to the talismans was how strong emotions seeped through the connection. He hadn't anticipated the feeling being reciprocated through the ring he'd had forged for the miko. He'd never hated his heightened senses until he was forced to recall just how _pervasive_ she could be. Like a fog (_'like Naraku's fucking miasma,'_ he corrected childishly, drawing complaints from both of his other sides), Kagome worked her way through every crack in his shell, winding around every corner of his mind until he ate, breathed, and slept only thoughts of her.

InuYasha had retreated to a far side of the giant mansion they called "the den", determined to sleep while the bitch _('our bitch,'_ his youkai had growled possessively, rebelling against the angry thoughts of just throwing her back out to the street) was here. He found himself drifting into dreams he hadn't suffered through in hundreds of years: dreams of her delicious scent, bodies wrapped so tightly around each other it was unclear where miko ended and hanyou began… dreams of having her, more than kisses and caresses bolder by the day, but really _having_ Kagome, possessing her mind, body and soul with the same power she seemed to have over him. He woke up panting, shaking, digging his claws into his hands so he wouldn't give in to his wholly human need to see her feel the same pain and suffering she had put him through, and was putting him through yet again.

His youkai grumbled a counterpoint, _'Not human. Our bitch _did_ leave us, and must be punished properly. But we could smell her; the only other true scent on her was us. She is loyal; faithful… she is a good bitch. She fought back when we angered her; she is a good alpha female.'_

More commentary in his head – now the voice of the human echoed, _'It's not completely a human emotion to want her to be in pain. I may be sad that she left, but I don't want to see her cry. I hate to see her sad. I'd die for her; I'd give my life to see her smile.'_

Finally something the true InuYasha could respond to, he sighed, lowering his head to the cracked wood. _'She didn't want me to die. She wanted me to live.' _Anger flared irrationally. _'And I did, damn it! I lived five hundred fucking years without her! She should have been with me, with Miroku and Sango, mothering the runt…'_

Shippou… InuYasha growled at the thought of the kit. Shippou had steadfastly stayed in Kaede's village, even after the old woman had passed on. In InuYasha's place, the young youkai had made a name of himself as the village's protector. Eventually taking the name "Inoue", he had guarded the well viciously. The kitsune had only joined back with the pack two hundred years ago. Miroku had eventually appealed to the youkai, pointing out that there was no way Kagome could come through the well at that time: on the parallel timeline, she would have died a mortal death without InuYasha's youki supporting her, and in fact wouldn't be born for hundreds of years.

The kit had a mate by that time, a silver kitsune youkai named Shinju with pearlescent green eyes. Eventually, the two had moved to the States, to have litters of kits and grand-kits of their own. Shippou and Shinju were back in Japan now, doing work for him and Sesshoumaru.

InuYasha looked around his office. It was filled with various treasures, pieces of art and weaponry from the years his pack had lived in the west. He and his friends had helped Sesshoumaru build and consolidate his empire, eventually enticing Shippou into helping them create concealments. InuYasha had never forgotten how he never really felt youki when he had visited Kagome; eventually, they had figured out that he had to introduce the idea to youkai himself. Most believed themselves so far above humans that they wouldn't go into hiding on their own.

The inu-hanyou's eyes fell on Sango's Hiraikotsu, suspended above the doorway. She had continued in the tradition of the taijya for years with Kohaku, working as hunters for Sesshoumaru. There was always a rogue youkai or two that needed to be taken down a peg, if not taken completely off the face of the world. Only those on a "need-to-know" basis were aware of the continued existence of youkai, hanyou and various other "mythical" creatures – a rampaging oni in Tokyo would sent people into a panic and blow their cover. Eventually, however, the taijya had moved on to new weaponry: guns and stealth weapons, developed by a friend of Shippou's.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Shinju – "Pearl"

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)

Speaking of borrowing, I haven't mentioned her by name yet, a favorite OC of mine is referenced in this chapter. Shippou's friend - her name is Misery, from "Darkness Fades to Dawn" by kodiaqkitten. If you're looking for a **GREAT** story with our beloved InuTachi set in the present, I whole-heartedly suggest you take a look. Misery may pop up here and there to waggle her fingers and say "hi"; but I repeat: I do not own her. She belongs to kodiaqkitten, who is kindly letting her make an appearance or two here :)

"_Seasons of Love" _is from the musical _"Rent" -_ music and lyrics were written by Jonathan Larson. Other than the DVD and music, I don't own "_Rent_", either.


	12. Chapter 11: Confrontations

Pack Law

Chapter 11: Confrontations

Sango crept along the dark corridor, one hand on her holster. She paused to make sure her gun was loaded, safety on, before continuing toward the youki she could feel behind the door up ahead.

Silently, Kirara crawled out from the taijya's hood. As Sango stopped to check her weapon, the fire-neko scampered to the floor, making sure there was room to transform if necessary. Though Sango's weapons of choice had changed in the years she'd hunted, her reliance on her youkai companion had not. Kirara was still an excellent assistant. She battled hard and used her youkai senses to warn her friend of approaching danger. Kirara was a quick mode of transportation, and meant Sango never left her family in danger, waiting in a vehicle on her return.

With only the clicking of her claws to give her away, Kirara skittered down the hallway ahead of her mistress. She lowered her head to the floor, her youki-hiding collar glimmering in the low light streaming from the crack at the bottom of the door. She cocked her head, listening. Though she may not speak in terms Sango could understand, the fire-cat was able to relay things she had heard to InuYasha. It wasn't always efficient, but it got the job done.

Sango held her breath, waiting for her friend's reaction to whatever she was listening to. After what felt like eons, Kirara twitched her two tails in a "come here" motion.

Hand still on her weapon, ready to fire at a second's notice, Sango stepped stealthily over to the door to listen.

"…we should assume they've sent the remaining taijya and her youkai companion." A young woman's voice, she sounded no older than Sango looked. She tried to commit the voice to memory, not having previous knowledge of a woman aiding Ken.

"Have you pinpointed their location?" Sango tensed. _'Do they know that I'm here? Shit!'_ She checked again to be sure her weapon could be tugged out. "I can take care of the intruders." The fire-youkai actually sounded excited to take her on. The two had been adversaries for years. One of Sango's "trophies" was a long braid of red hair she had shot from Ken's head. The spiritual powers of the bullets she fired had guaranteed the locks would never grow back. Ken was almost as meticulous as Sesshoumaru; losing his hair had been a major blow.

"No, Ken. I have a different use for you." A low chuckle sent a cold tendril of fear creeping up Sango's spine. She _knew_ that voice. She _hated_ that voice. Kirara knew it, too. So why didn't they sense anything?

"Bring me the miko." Sango pursed her lips in thought. _'Damn them! Who are they talking about? There aren't a _lot_ of mikos around nowadays, but there are several who could be potential targets.'_ Hearing the scuffling of feet coming closer to the door, Sango withdrew, keeping her weapon trained on the door as she backed down the corridor.

Once they were a decent distance away from the old office building, Kirara transformed. "Come, Kirara. Let's go tell InuYasha what we heard."

OoO**OoO**OoO

The sun rose behind the hanyou as Sango and Kirara tiredly made their report. They had been out all night on recon. InuYasha was growling as Sango repeated what she had heard and told him her suspicions regarding their enemy's "master".

"Ken has a friend now, a woman." InuYasha glared in response.

"Did you see her?"

"No, only heard her. It sounded like somebody was on a computer, it might have been her. She knows about me, though."

Miroku's hand gripped the arm of the chair he was relaxing in. He had entered InuYasha's office halfway through her report, looking for his wife who had not been in bed when he returned from the hospital. After a quick shower, he had rushed back to hear what was happening. True, InuYasha told his beta everything, as a matter of business, but Miroku much preferred to be able to listen himself. He always insisted that he gleaned more from what people didn't say than what they did.

Before Miroku could share his opinion, InuYasha cut in. He could feel the doctor's anxiety through their connection and wished to dispel it; the emotion put him on edge.

"Of course they know about you. You're our best hunter and we send you everywhere. We'd be fighting idiots if they couldn't pick you out of a crowd."

It wasn't much of a consolation to Miroku, who had had to patch his wife up far too many times for his sanity. Maybe he could get his wife to go on a vacation? _'Now's not the time for that!'_ he thought angrily, _'This is the home stretch; we're just days away from finding out why Kagome left us.'_ He vaguely wondered if he had anything to do with her non-reappearance; he had certainly been stressing to the young woman the need to avoid the well.

'_Her absence drove InuYasha nearly mad, but it gave him so long to mature and grow. He's a strong beta for Sesshoumaru and an even stronger alpha for us. Kagome always made him stronger in battle, but he was forced to grow up even more without her by his side.'_

Miroku's attention snapped back to the conversation as Sango's voice cut in. "We need a print-out of all the mikos we're aware of. They'll need to be protected. I'm not sure what he plans to do, but he ordered Ken to, quote 'bring him the miko.' He didn't specify which one."

"Fucking bastard." InuYasha absently ran his hand through his hair, his ears flicking as the younger inhabitants of the den prepared for school. "You didn't hear why?"

Sango shook her head. "I have a theory, though. Jewel shards are getting scarcer. This is Kagome's time." She tried to catch her alpha's eyes at the name of her missing pack sister, but he was looking out the window, away from her. She could tell from the set of his ears, still flicking, that he was less than impressed with the insertion to the conversation, but it couldn't be helped. "They're probably looking for anybody who can see shards now. Kagome will be a target; she has just about half the jewel with her."

"They couldn't have been talking about her," InuYasha's voice was flat. "Nobody in this day and age knows she's a miko but us."

Miroku was reluctant to jump into the conversation, but he felt he had to point out, "Other youkai knew about her. Kouga's clan knew her power, so did the panthers. I know they've been quiet, but it's not a stretch to say somebody saw school uniforms like she wore and put the two together."

Sango agreed. "Not to mention, youkai aren't just going to be drawn to her power… which even you, InuYasha, have to admit can be felt by anybody with even a hint of youki… but they're also going to be drawn to the shards she has. Didn't something similar happen over the summer?"

InuYasha's eyes flared at the reminder. "Fuck! Ken attacked her in the park, didn't he? Kagome hollered out to your pup where the shard was; if he was paying attention, he knows she can see them." The hanyou recalled the attack twice; the first time, he had rushed in to see Kagome cowering while Hitomu fought off the youkai. The second time, Hitomu had rushed home to give the report.

Miroku and Sango exchanged looks behind their leader's back. Both knew they had to tread lightly. "Do we still have surveillance at the shrine?" Sango tentatively asked. It had been a silent rule in the pack to not acknowledge InuYasha was having somebody watch the well house. He could insist up and down that he didn't care about the girl, but everybody knew he was curious why she hadn't returned. The entire family knew InuYasha thought Kagome had sealed the well to pursue a normal life.

Reluctantly, InuYasha nodded. "Yeah, there's almost always somebody there."

Miroku sighed, "That'll make things easier. Kagome is back up to full strength again, too. We had few battles the couple of weeks before she left." He was on thin ice, mentioning that time, but it was important to look at things objectively right now. "She can protect herself. At school, Hitomu and the others will keep an eye on her."

Sango nodded, looking from one man to the other. Neither had really aged since they had taken the talismans; the only proof of their time on earth was the depth of their knowledge, reflected in their eyes as they analyzed the situations at hand. InuYasha had truly grown, though few were brave enough to mention it aloud. "Is that all?" She motioned to Kirara, who was beginning to nap on a chair in the corner, "We're both beat. Even Kirara's tired; we were hyper-aware all night."

With a quick glance at InuYasha, Miroku nodded and waved his wife from the room. "Go take a shower. I'll have breakfast sent up to you, and then we can take a nap. I worked a double-shift yesterday." Sango left as Miroku stood, meeting InuYasha's eyes.

"We won't let anything happen to her."

InuYasha glared at him before looking away, nose in the air. "Feh. Like I care!" He sounded more like the hanyou of the feudal era than he had in years. _'Maybe Kagome just has that effect on him,'_ Miroku mused. He knew differently. He'd been InuYasha's friend and beta for far too many years not to be able to read between the lines.

"Is there anything else I can do for you before I take my leave?"

"Have my breakfast sent up here."

Miroku nodded, leaving as a sly grin crossed his face in recognition of what his alpha wasn't saying. "You know, you can't just hide in the furthest corner of the den, InuYasha. You can't avoid everywhere she's been."

InuYasha simply growled a denial. As the door slammed, he spun around, looking out at the car taking the pups to school. _'That's what you think, lecher.'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome moaned, head on her desk. _'Only two and a half days left of school, then I'll be back in the past, hunting for shards.'_ She was absolutely determined to go back, and decided she would remind herself of it throughout the rest of the week. If she hadn't promised her mother a straight week of school, she would have gone through last night.

Her eyes flipped open as something fell on her desk. Looking up, she saw a folded up piece of paper. Curious, she checked to make sure her sensei's back was turned before opening it up.

_Kagome,_

_Wacdnalds after school? You can't avoid us forever!_

_Yuka_

She worried her lower lip, thinking. Kagome really did feel bad that she had blown her girlfriends off since she'd been back, but time with them was just so dull compared to what she knew now. She really didn't belong with them anymore. The last thing she wanted was to sit down and be forced to talk about InuYasha, any of her "illnesses", or why she should be dating Houjou.

_Yuka,_

_I have to practice for chorus with my group after school._

_Kagome_

Tossing the paper to the desk in front of her, Kagome stared out the window. She didn't really need to pay attention in history class. They were talking about the Feudal Era, after all. _'No book can teach as well as living it!'_ Of course, her textbooks never really brought up the common youkai attacks, or how to "rough it", but she had lived enough of the battles and certainly understood the ancient ways of telling distance and money.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome looked from one group to the other. It just figured, didn't it? She had tried to back out of going out with Yuka, Eri and Ayumi after school, but the girls were relentless! Sarah had obviously sensed her discomfort, so she had invited herself, Hitomu and Tsukiyoshi to go along with.

Ayumi was getting along fine with her other friends; apparently she shared a class with Sarah. Yuka was making eyes at Tsukiyoshi, while Eri was alternating between flirting with Hitomu and glaring at Sarah.

Kagome held her breath as Eri looked at her seriously. "Kagome, what's with you lately? You haven't really been talkative. Is it that crazy, possessive boyfriend of yours? Is he two-timing you again?"

Hitomu choked on his fries. He, Sarah, and Tsukiyoshi all knew the history between Kagome and InuYasha, but much like the magic of the kotodama rosary, it was one thing to know it, and one thing to actually witness it. Tsukiyoshi patted Hitomu on the back, grinning at Kagome. Sarah lifted her eyebrows in surprise.

'_So how do I explain that my boyfriend from the past is actually five hundred years older now?' _Kagome hated, absolutely _hated_ to lie to the girls who had been her friends for years, but there was just so much they didn't know. There was so much they _couldn't_ know. She was starting to lose track of the lies she'd told them over the years.

"Yes, Kagome, what about this boyfriend of yours?" Kagome recognized the smile on Hitomu's face. It was the same look Miroku got on his face when he was about to say something he just knew he was going to be slapped for. Her eyes narrowed, _'Don't you dare say anything!'_

"Did you guys have another fight? Was it about his ex again?" Yuki broke into the conversation. Sarah stifled a giggle, slurping on her shake.

"We've had… some miscommunications lately. We're kind of backing off for the time being…" Kagome trailed off. What else was she supposed to say? _'Oh, he thinks I left him hundreds of years ago. He's accusing me of stuff I didn't do. Yeah, that'll get them to back off. The only thing that could make this worse would be-'_

"Oh, really? What a coincidence! Houjou actually just broke up with the girl he was dating, too! Now you're both single!" Eri chirped happily.

Kagome gulped, "I didn't say I was single, you guys, I said-"

"Kagome!"

Kagome willed the ground to open up and swallow her as she heard Houjou cry out from behind her. She bit back a few InuYasha-esqe grumbles, pleading with her eyes for Sarah to get them out of there as quickly as possible. Sarah grinned and pulled out her cell phone, sending a text message as the older boy bore down on the table.

"Kagome! It's so good to see you! Have you recovered from your Encephalitis?"

'_Encephalitis? Oh for the love of- note to self, yell at Grandpa!'_ Even Tsukiyoshi grinned at the girl's discomfort. "I'm all better!"

"Great! I brought you a headband you should wear. It has some powerful magnets in it to help keep headaches away! I was wondering; my school is having a cultural festival on Saturday and I know you had a great time last year. Would you like to come with me?" Houjou was the picture of eagerness. _'Is he actually bouncing on his feet?'_

Kagome squirmed, looking at her newer friends for help. "She'd love to go!" Yuka cried, clapping her hands. Kagome sighed. _'Maybe calling this one off will be the final straw and he'll leave me alone?'_

Suddenly Hitomu spoke up, "Sorry, she's not going with you."

Kagome looked up, eyes wide. Eri took on a very snotty tone as she whirled on the teen. "And what business is it of yours what she does?"

Hitomu matched her attitude, suddenly grasping Kagome's hand. She tried not to blush furiously as he replied, "Not that it's any of _your_ business, but didn't you hear her earlier? She isn't single!"

"Excuse me?" Yuka raced to support Eri and Houjou, who was looking desolate.

"You heard her. And you heard me! She's _my_ girlfriend." With that, Hitomu pulled Kagome close to him and pressed his lips up against hers.

Kagome gasped. Her eyes fluttered closed as her first discernable thought was _'Wow, he's a good kisser…'_

Suddenly golden eyes were in her mind, silver hair, the scent of the woods and fresh air, and Kagome pulled away. _'InuYasha! What am I thinking! I shouldn't enjoy that!'_ She was almost glad Hitomu hadn't let her pull away too far; her face was almost definitely the same color as a bad sunburn. She pressed it into his shoulder, willing herself to appear normal. _'Maybe now, though, Houjou will leave me alone…'_

Had Kagome been aware of anything but her thundering heart and the young man who held her close, of her worries of what that meant for her relationship with InuYasha, of what her beloved hanyou would say if he could have seen that, she would have giggled at the gaping expressions on Yuka, Eri and Houjou's faces.

Even Tsukiyoshi barely suppressed his expression, though Hitomu knew him well enough to read the _'I can't believe you got away with that'_ evident in his eyes.

Everybody stiffened as they heard somebody clear their throats behind them. Sarah whirled in her seat. Kagome groaned to herself as she felt two very, very familiar auras.

"Hey, Uncle 'Roku! Hi, Uncle 'Yasha! Have you guys come to pick us up?" Sarah's voice was so forcefully cheerful it put Kagome's best post-InuYasha-running-off-to-meet-Kikyou moments to shame. As all four stood, saying their good-byes to the three girls and heart-broken looking young man, Kagome stared at the floor.

She didn't need to look at the men waiting for them to feel Miroku's disbelieving stare… or to feel the waves of anger pouring off InuYasha.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	13. Chapter 12: Anger

Pack Law

Chapter 12: Anger

Kagome groaned to herself as the group walked the vehicle; a smallish sports van this time, large enough to carry all six of them. She kept her eyes to the ground, looking up only to see InuYasha open the door with a force that nearly ripped it off.

She bit back a sigh, settling between Sarah and Hitomu in the far back of the vehicle as InuYasha and Miroku slid into the front seats. InuYasha's ear flicked at them as she shifted, trying to get comfortable. Not a moment later, a low growl filled the car and Hitomu very quickly vacated the seat next to the miko, joining Tsukiyoshi in the center seats. The tension was so thick, Kagome almost threw up a barrier.

The trip back to the den felt like it took a lot longer. Miroku would open his mouth as if to say something, but closed it each time Inuyasha let out a terse growl. Kagome hunkered down in her seat.

'_Great. Now he thinks I've done something horrible _and_ he thinks I enjoyed kissing Hitomu!'_ She sighed. Then she grew a bit angry. _'He's been such a jerk to me! What does it matter if he's angry? So Hitomu kissed me, so what?'_ She shook her head. She couldn't help it. Even though Hitomu was very good-looking, suave and kind, and a great kisser, she couldn't help but feel she was being disloyal to her favorite hanyou.

Sarah clapped happily as they pulled up. Kagome spied a second vehicle in the driveway and looked questioningly at the kitsune hanyou.

"Grandpa is here with Misery!"

Now _that_ was news Kagome wanted to hear. "Shippou is here?" The idea of seeing her kit after so many years made her almost forget the tension between her, Hitomu and InuYasha. She had heard a lot of their pack-sister, whom Shippou had met in Europe many, many years ago.

It appeared Shippou had been waiting to see his mother again, too, because the van side door was opened before Kagome could unbuckle her seatbelt.

"Kagome!" A fluffy ball catapulted into her arms. Kagome blinked several times as a very _young_ Shippou clung to her with glee. At her obvious confusion, he giggled.

"I couldn't wait another moment for a hug, so I shrunk myself!" He sounded so proud of himself Kagome couldn't keep in the giggles. "I'll go back to normal once we're outside, okay?" The miko didn't answer, and instead just squeezed her kit like she had done several days ago.

"You must be Kagome." A beautiful woman, taller than even Sango, strode out of the house as everybody got out of the vehicle. With a pop, Shippou took on his normal form. He stood about even with the woman, whose wise gray eyes were taking in every inch of Kagome's body.

"This is Misery." Shippou introduced his long-lost mother to his best friend. "Her mother was hanyou; her father was a fallen angel. That makes her Nephilim."

Kagome's eyes widened as she took in the young woman with a similar appraising glance. Misery had a powerful, otherworldly aura about her. Kagome's miko's aura tingled as it made contact with this new woman's. It was only when Misery smiled that Kagome breathed a sigh of relief.

"I've heard a lot about you. It appears the stories I heard were not exaggerations, either; I can feel your power even standing here." Kagome blushed at the inadvertent praise, "In fact, we'll have to get you outfitted with the rest of the pack. I've got a great-"

Whatever the Nephilim had, the rest of the sentence was lost to InuYasha's most menacing growl.

"Oi! We may have accepted you into our pack, but that doesn't give you the right of deciding pack sisters. She ain't pack." He stubbornly twisted his head away from the miko, cringing a bit inwardly as he smelt the tell-tale tang of salty tears.

"But I thought-" Misery turned concerned gray eyes from the alpha to Kagome and back again. She suddenly noticed nobody was looking anybody else in the eye.

"You thought wrong."

Misery nodded, changing the subject. "Well, fine, but in any case, I've brought you a gift as well. I made some adjustments to your-" Cutting her off for a third time, InuYasha grabbed the researcher and stomped away. She chuckled, unfazed by his sour attitude, as he nearly snarled to himself, "Good. I need to blow something the fuck up."

OoO**OoO**OoO

_**There's only us... There's only this.**_

_**Forget regret…Or life is yours to miss.**_

_**No other road, no other way…**_

_**No day but today…**_

Kagome loved the finale. She focused on Sarah's melody, harmonizing with her as the men began the refrain of a different song. The words and notes mingled so well, it gave her goose bumps.

_**I'd die without you (No day but today)…**_

_**I'd die without you (No day but today)…**_

_**I'd die without you (No day but today)…**_

_**No day but today!**_

The song was over too soon. The miko felt the warmth that had filled her body fade as the room grew quiet.

"That was amazing!" Sarah's excited voice cut through the silence. "We're going to get a great grade, for sure!"

Tsukiyoshi chuckled quietly, pushing a lock of silver-blue hair behind his elfish ear. "I'm not sure how it sounded to human ears, but it sounded fine to mine."

Hitomu flopped onto a western-style leather couch, grinning ear to ear. He took on a very InuYasha-sounding tone. "Sounded great to my pathetic, human senses."

Kagome bit back both a laugh and a sob, unsure of how to respond. She heard InuYasha's tone in Hito's teasing and it really hurt. The day before, Sarah had told her a bit about how he referred to InuYasha as "Uncle" as well as "alpha." He really respected the hanyou, and now there was a wedge between them.

Sensing the mood swing, Tsukiyoshi and Sarah hurried out of the room, muttering something about getting refreshments and needing a bathroom break. As they left, a tense silence formed between Hitomu and Kagome.

Kagome eventually looked up. What she saw infuriated her; Hitomu just sat there, grinning at her!

"What was wrong with you earlier?" She demanded, leaning forward. The sudden change in her attitude would have shocked Hitomu had his family not regaled him with stories of her infamous temper.

He raised an eyebrow calmly. "Would you have rather been suckered into a date with that Houjou moron?" He almost laughed at the look on her face. "It was obvious to anybody with eyes and a brain that you were uncomfortable."

"So you thought you'd make it better by kissing me?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"It worked, didn't it?" Kagome didn't know whether to thank him or scratch out his eyes, fixated on her and filled with silent laughter. She clenched her hands into fists and put them on her hips so as not to throttle the teen.

"I just don't know what to say to that! InuYasha looked like he wanted to slaughter you!" At the mention of his irate alpha, Hitomu's amused grin turned into a grimace. "See? You know it as well as I do! I love InuYasha! Why would you do such a thing?"

"I didn't expect him and father to come in so soon." Hitomu's mumbled reply was barely discernable. "I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable, though."

A pair of triangular ears twitched, soaking in the entire conversation. _'So she didn't necessarily want to kiss him. But she didn't push him away, either! She put her head on his shoulder!'_ InuYasha wasn't sure whether he felt more betrayed by her actions today or those of five hundred years ago.

Smelling Sesshoumaru's son and the kitsune hanyou returning, InuYasha straightened.

"Pup," he called out to Tsukiyoshi, "Your old man called. He and your ma'll be back tomorrow. He wanted you to know, though, the Neko no Taisho's youngest brat is about your age and wants to meet you. He couldn't think up a valid excuse, so you'll be headed to France in a few weeks."

Ignoring the look of disgust on his nephew's face, InuYasha stalked down the hallway. He had to escape Kagome's scent, or he was going to break something.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Finally alone, waxing moon rising high in the sky, InuYasha glared at the pup in front of him. The demon in him was torn between tearing the boy to shreds for touching what was _his_ and cackling in pure pleasure of the pure nervousness he could feel radiating.

InuYasha let Hitomu sweat, contemplating how to make his point without invoking the wrath of his beta.

'_Not much of a concern there. The beta knows his pup must submit.'_ InuYasha's youkai side was still bristling at the image of Kagome pressed up against the teen. _'And once he submits, we will turn to the bitch.'_

'_I'm not doing anything to hurt Kagome!'_ He needed to get a hold of himself. Raging at the young woman and Hitomu wouldn't help; in fact, it'd probably do more harm than good. He suddenly recalled the pained look on Kagome's face when he had told Misery the miko wasn't one of the pack. _'Okay, anything to hurt her physically.'_

He suddenly turned on Hitomu, making the teen jump. "What in all the hells were you thinking today?" His youkai rumbled through, adding a deeper layer of rage to the tone of his voice. "Not just at the restaurant, either. You lied to Kagome earlier. You're familiar with my youki, you grew up with it. You knew I was nearby."

Anger flashed in Hitomu's eyes, turning the violet a darker shade of purple. "You were listening to our conversation earlier!"

"Don't sound so wounded, pup. I'm alpha here. I have every right to know what you were saying to my _mate!"_ The anger in his voice left even InuYasha blinking in astonishment. He was startled by the bark of laughter from Hitomu, making him sound more inu than he should as a mortal.

"Your _mate_?" the teen spat back angrily. "For somebody who supposedly loves her, you sure treat her like shit!"

InuYasha's hackles rose as he began to growl. "You watch your mouth, pup. You're not a full member of the pack yet. You won't get your talisman until you're twenty. I can still have you kicked out of the den!"

"You'd put an innocent kid on the streets?"

"For putting his lips and hands on my mate? Yes, I would!"

"She's not your mate! For her to be your mate, she'd be alpha female. But she's not even part of the pack, is she?" For all he'd learned his father's smooth-talking ways, growing up around InuYasha had given the teen quite the temper. Hitomu's anger overrode all sensibilities as he threw his alpha's words back at him. "Do you know how much that hurt her? Could you feel the pain and sorrow in her aura?"

InuYasha flinched. That had been a low blow. Even he knew he was acting irrationally, but that didn't mean he had to admit it, damn it!

"Look, you have two options here, _sir_." The title was less of a show of respect and more of a sarcastic reference to his station above the teen. "You can either tell her you love her, and let her know that you've just been upset about being alone for so long, or you can let her find somebody better."

In a moment, InuYasha had his hand wrapped around the pup's throat, eyes sparkling with tinges of red. "You're telling me what _my_ options are? Is that a challenge?"

Hitomu squirmed in the hanyou's grasp for a moment before going limp and tilting his head as far from the flashing fangs as his precarious position would allow. The sign of submission pacified InuYasha's youkai blood enough for him to loosen his grip. The teen slumped to the floor, coughing.

"No, not a challenge." Hitomu remained on the floor, eyes on InuYasha's feet. Sure, he had been told of the hanyou's blood-rages, but had never experienced one for himself. Knowing that InuYasha hadn't completely lost himself was no consolation. Hitomu would be willing to fight for this girl, but he knew now wasn't the time. InuYasha would wipe the floor with him. _'I can't take the battle to InuYasha, so I'll win the war through Kagome instead.'_

InuYasha could smell the fear rolling off the teen. Allowing the submissive act to soothe his wounded pride, he turned his back to Hitomu and gazed out the window.

"I'll handle Kagome. We may have our issues, but in the end, we're meant to be together. If you have a brain in that head of yours, you'll stay out of our business."

OoO**OoO**OoO

Hitomu wasn't the only one dealing with an angry family member in the den that night.

"He did _what_?!" Sango shrieked about an hour after coming home from a quick check on her supplies for an upcoming hunt. Miroku held his hands up in a gesture of submission, unconsciously baring his neck to her. "No wonder InuYasha was pissed off! I could feel his anger from across the city!"

Miroku rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "To be honest, I was pretty sure we were going to feel his anger the moment it happened. I'm surprised he didn't sharpen his claws on our son."

"I'm surprised we still _have_ a son. What have you been teaching him?"

"Me?" Miroku held his hand to his chest with an innocent look on his face. "Why do you think-"

"Oh, don't even try to pull the innocent act with me! I'm not the lecherous one here!"

"I haven't leched anybody but you since Kagome left us the first time!"

Sango narrowed her eyes at her husband. "Speaking of which, have we found out what happened yet?"

Shaking his head, Miroku looked concernedly out the window in the direction he knew Kagome lived. "Misery drove her home today and called to report the well was still exuding energy when she checked it."

"What if Hito's actions today had something to do with it?"

The monk stared at his wife in shock. "You think Kagome sealed the well to be with our son rather than InuYasha?"

"Well, not exactly. Obviously, she's met InuYasha of _this_ time. But maybe Hito has something to do with it?"

Miroku hugged his wife to him, soothing his hand down her back to ease the tension from her. "I'm just as worried as you are, but idle speculation isn't going to solve anything. We're just going to have to wait and see."

Sango stiffened, "We've been waiting for five hundred years!"

Miroku's eyes twinkled as his hands moved lower on her back. "This is true. I've also been waiting. You promised to bear as many children as I wanted, correct?"

She twisted her mouth in a wry grin, "You know as well as I do why we've only had two. What would Japan be like if Naraku came back and all our children had a black hole in their hand?"

He nodded, knowing she would feel the motion of his head against hers. "I'm aware of the dangers. But that doesn't mean we can't work on our third now." He captured her mouth in his, feeling her smile against him.

"You mean our second? We may not have a son once InuYasha is done with him." Sango let him halt that train of thought with his well-placed, well-practiced hands.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)

Misery is owned by kodiaqkitten, and is playing a small role only due to her awesome mistress's agreement.


	14. Chapter 13: Build Up

Pack Law

Chapter 13: Build Up

Hitomu winked at Kagome. "What, not happy to see your boyfriend?"

Kagome's eyes sparked angrily as her aura flared. "What were you _thinking_? Are you _completely_ stupid? I'm surprised InuYasha didn't rip your head off!"

Hitomu forced a shaky laugh, closing his eyes for a moment. _'I am, too! I thought I was a dead man!'_ Focusing again on the woman in front of him, Kagome was displeased to see an evil smirk cross his face. He was looking over her shoulder; she turned and moaned. Eri, Yuka and Ayumi were quickly making their way toward them.

"Oh my gosh, Kagome! You two are really dating?" Eri waved jauntily at Hitomu as she dragged Kagome across the hall and into the nearest classroom. "You have to tell us all about it! When did he ask you out?" The miko sent the young man a scathing glare over her shoulder as she was hauled away; Hitomu hurried down the hall to his first class.

'_Forget about InuYasha killing me, I'll be lucky if she doesn't!'_ Still, he and his sister were truly their father's children. He had faith he could prevail where it appeared his alpha was failing.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome held her head in her hands, willing herself not to kill her friend's son. To her left, Sarah was cracking up. Even Tsukiyoshi had a wan smile on his face.

"I still can't believe you kissed her in front of InuYasha! Hell, I can't believe you're not dog food this morning!" Sarah was still reeling from the events of the day before. Kagome groaned.

"I can't believe it either. Eri, Ayumi and Yuka won't leave me alone." Her eyes cut into Hitomu's. "They can't get over it and just keep talking about how 'incredibly handsome' you are!" Hitomu sported a cocky smile. "Then, of course, they recognized InuYasha when _he_ came in. I'll be lucky if I can keep straight half the lies I've told those girls." Turning eyes skyward, she sighed again, "I can't believe you _kissed_ me. Just like that!"

Hitomu tilted his head curiously at Kagome. She idly wondered if it was a habit he had picked up from growing up with inu-youkai. "Oh come on, you know you liked it."

Kagome fidgeted, turning her gaze to Sarah, whose eyes glittered with tears of laughter. _'How does he get me so flustered so easily?'_ "That's not the point!" she hissed angrily.

"You don't deny it?" Kagome whirled on the inu-youkai behind her. Even calm, cool Tsukiyoshi was getting his digs at her! How unfair was this?

"Is he a better kisser than InuYasha?" Sarah piped up again, containing her giggles. Hitomu turned an interesting face to the embarrassed young woman, eyes flashing in expectation.

Kagome sighed dreamily, thinking of InuYasha's kisses. "They're two totally different people, with two totally different styles…" The memory of golden eyes, softened in the moonlight as she relaxed in his arms abruptly altered to the same eyes hardened by anger as she tried to pull away from Hitomu yesterday. She groaned again, catching a glimpse of his amused expression. "Why am I even talking about this? InuYasha's already mad at me, and I still don't quite know what I did!" Her anguish turned to indignation, "In fact, I haven't done anything! I haven't touched the well! I didn't even kiss you, you kissed me!"

"You didn't pull away."

"I tried; you were nearly squeezing the life out of me!"

Well, you didn't want to go out with that wimpy Houjou, did you? We had to make it look realistic!" Darn that Hito, looking so pleased with himself. Didn't he realize just how territorial InuYasha could be? _'Heck, he was fighting with Kouga over me even when Kikyou was still alive!'_

Kagome squirmed in her seat, still avoiding her lunch. She was certain food wouldn't sit well on her roiling stomach. "Guys, I'm not headed to the den today. I just really can't face InuYasha. Besides, I've decided I'm leaving tomorrow night. Maybe something's supposed to happen on Saturday morning that I can avoid."

Sarah exchanged worried looks with the others at the change in topic. It still stood that Kagome had not returned, and she was obviously planning on going back. They were all thinking the same thing. _'What's going to happen?'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

'_What's going to happen?'_ InuYasha leaned back in his leather desk chair, blowing stray hairs out of his face. He was supposed to be focusing on a memo to the rest of the Inu clans, focusing on possible changes in official Pack Law. _'Like I can focus on boring shit like that on a week like this.'_

He rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up a bit. _'Fucking bitch!'_ Kagome's scent had filled the den again, leaving him clinging to wakefulness after half a night of dreams of her and him… InuYasha shifted uncomfortably, irritated that she could still affect him like this. Of course, he'd flat-out told Hitomu that she was _his_, but he didn't plan on acting on those words until he found out just what had happened with the well.

'_Did I drive her away?'_ He reflected on his actions the past few days. He hadn't really made her feel welcome here, that's for damn sure. InuYasha grimaced. He may have survived this long, he may have adapted well, but he still tended to think in terms of "her time" and "his time." His time was several centuries ago, when Japan was still lush and green and filled with all manner of youkai just angsting to beat the ever-living shit out of each other.

Now, though, they had to hide who and what they were, changing aliases in a rotation of every fifty years. He thanked every kami he could name that they were using their "regular" names on this particular spin through time. Any more changes and even Kagome may not have been able to follow.

A familiar, not un-wanted scent reached InuYasha's nose just a few seconds before Miroku opened the door to his office. Waiting in the doorway for InuYasha's nod of greeting, the monk-turned-doctor gazed around the room.

"C'mon in. What do you want?" InuYasha's voice was gruff, but he knew Miroku wouldn't have come if he hadn't been concerned about something. This was "work" time for the hanyou; he was rarely interrupted. Truth be told, InuYasha was glad for the company. He couldn't get Kagome out of his mind and needed to focus it elsewhere before he lost control of himself.

Miroku cleared his throat. "I couldn't help but notice that I still have a son this morning." InuYasha inclined his head in assent. "I appreciate you not pruning my family tree…"

"Feh. You can have another."

Miroku's smile did not reflect in his eyes. "True, but though he can be quite a stubborn baka, I've grown rather fond of him. He looks up to you, you know."

InuYasha raised an eyebrow. "The little idiot was certainly looking _up_ to me last night."

"Oh, I'm quite sure of it. He seemed rather shaken when he came back."

InuYasha didn't respond, staring at Miroku seriously. He knew there was more to this visit than the idle chatter they had engaged in. Miroku's conversation thus far had only served to piss him off more as the images of Kagome and Hitomu kissing assaulted him again. He clenched his fist on his desk, leaving a furrow of claw marks. Miroku gulped.

"He, uh, said something interesting, however."

"Oh?" InuYasha's tone of indifference didn't fool his beta one bit.

"Hitomu says you called Kagome your mate." There was no accusation in Miroku's voice. Instead, it seemed more idle curiosity. "I don't suppose you plan on telling _her_ this anytime soon?"

InuYasha growled softly, "I guess it really depends on what happens this weekend."

Miroku nodded his agreement, "Understandable, under the circumstances." His voice took on a teasing quality, "You know, however, that this will surely destroy your reputation with the ladies of the various courts…"

InuYasha snorted at the reminder. He had refrained from most interaction with women, youkai and human alike, for the last five centuries. When it came down to it, he was afraid of rejection yet again, and his youkai was bound and determined to have Kagome. With his amazing looks, power, and reclusiveness, he had turned into a hanyou "Most Eligible Bachelor."

Both turned to look out the window, where the Higurashi family shrine lay on the other side of the city.

Both were thinking the same thing. _'Two days left. What happened?'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Friday_

"You're still planning on leaving today?" Sarah's attitude was a complete 180 from the day before; today, she was serious and downhearted.

Kagome nodded determinedly. "I'll head to the shrine right after school and go back. What I really wonder is what everybody is doing on the other side of the well right now?"

Sarah tilted her head, hanyou ears akimbo as she tried to figure out what Kagome wasn't saying. "Do you think something happened on that side?"

"If they weren't around the well to watch, how would they know? Miroku said I never came back. He said that InuYasha will try the well on Saturday morning and find he can't get through. Does that necessarily mean _I'm_ going to do something?"

Sarah shook her head slowly. "No, I guess not. But if something happens to the well in that time, then why would it work for you now?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"If something happened to the well five hundred years ago to close it, then wouldn't it be closed now? Then, technically, you never would have been able to go through in the first place, which means none of this would have happened, right?"

The miko moaned, lowering her head. "This is so confusing. I guess that makes sense, but I would never turn on InuYasha and the others!"

"Uncle certainly doesn't seem to think so!" Kagome jumped as Hitomu's voice rang out behind her. She flushed at the reminder of the hanyou's attitude as of late. "It's obvious he thinks you did something."

"Do you really think I'd abandon them, Hito?" Kagome's steely gray-blue eyes reflected her mood, daring him to lie to her.

"Of course not, my beloved Kagome! You're loyal to a fault, why would you?" He reached out his arm around his "girlfriend", grinning as she tried to shrug it off.

"That's right, I _am_ loyal. I'm loyal to InuYasha, too, so you'd better knock it off!"

"Oh come on, sweetie…" Hitomu drew his voice out in a drawl as the bell rang, "You wouldn't blow your boyfriend off like that, would you?"

Kagome's glower followed him down the hall as he wandered off to his first class.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome huffed as she stomped up the stairs to the shrine, a veritable wave of people behind her. Miroku had insisted on driving her home to the shrine the moment Hitomu let it slip to his father that she was going to attempt to thwart time by going back today.

Of course, InuYasha and Sango had been in the mini-van as well, making for a rather packed trip. Only Kagome had argued when they said they would go with her. None of them batted an eye, not even when InuYasha grabbed her by the upper arm and, with a stern glare, shoved her into the vehicle.

Halfway up the stairs, Kagome felt an ominous prickle tickle down her spine. She came to a halt, gazing upward anxiously. Something was telling her to run.

'_A jewel shard? A very, very tainted shard…'_

Sarah hadn't seen Kagome stop and careened into her, almost falling back down the stairs. Sango and InuYasha reached out to catch her, noting Kagome's dazed expression. Hitomu and Miroku were both glaring up the steps, a foreboding energy rolling off the shrine property.

"Kagome? Is something wrong?" Sango recognized the look on the miko's face and began to load her weapon. Noting her movements, InuYasha began to loosen Tetsusaiga from his belt loop, where modern youkai technology had created a new sheathe that appeared as a cell phone.

Spurred by a sickening feeling of dread, Kagome pumped her legs up the shrine steps, taking the rest of the group by surprise.

"Kagome! Wait!" She didn't even seem to hear Sango's call as she recalled her brother had stayed home sick that day.

'_If anything's happened to my family…'_

Coming up to the top of the steps, Kagome skidded to a stop, eyes wide, hand instinctively clutching the chunk of Shikon no Tama she wore around her neck.

Red eyes flashing menacingly, a frightening smirk on his face, Ken glared down at her from his perch on her family's roof. "Hello, miko…" Holding a hand out, a ball of flame burst onto his hand.

As the rest of the group made it up the steps, armed and ready, the fire youkai lobbed the ball at Kagome with a cackle.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	15. Chapter 14: Fire

Pack Law

Chapter 14: Fire

Reacting on instinct born of a year of battles against youkai, Kagome threw herself to the side, pushing out her hand and creating a small pink barrier. The fire ball reflected off the light and was cleaved in half by a very large, familiar sword.

"Kagome!" InuYasha was a hanyou of constants. Lead his pack, give his brother a hard time, ignore the ladies, hide his human night… none of those constants were as strong as the need to protect Kagome. Any thought about how angry he'd been with her, five hundred years of angst and build-up to the present was wiped clean at the very sight of the young woman in danger. He'd sliced through the burning ball almost before he realized it. He cursed the wind, which had blown up the shrine steps. Had he been able to scent Ken ahead of time, he would have insisted he lead the group up. Of course, he had little time for reflecting, as Ken launched himself down from the roof, a sword of flame appearing in his hand.

Miroku and Tsukiyoshi both darted after Kagome, who had shot back to her feet and was racing toward the house. She knew better than to shout, than to draw attention to her actions as InuYasha and Sango engaged the enemy. As the sounds of battle rang out behind her, she focused her efforts on the house coming closer with each step.

'_Mama! Souta! Jii-chan!'_ The thought of her family sustained her run through the aggravating stitch in her side. _'Youkai at the shrine?? How could this happen?'_ Without breaking her stride, she threw open the door, finally shouting for her family.

"Kagome! Wait!" Miroku struggled to keep up with the girl, not having the impulse of pure terror slowing his movements. He understood Kagome's worry over her family, but worried more for her. She was probably the biggest target for their enemies, still wearing half of the Shikon no Tama around her neck.

It had been five hundred years, but just having the girl around was enough to stir up centuries-old habits. How many times in the year they'd been together had the group made sure somebody was there to protect Kagome? She was strong, yes, but _hells_ she drew more trouble than the rest of them combined. Having been the one to watch her take off, he knew that duty fell upon him now. He also knew, quite clearly, what would happen to him if anything happened to the miko.

'_InuYasha would make certain I could no longer father children, for starters…'_

Miroku discarded the distracting thoughts as he heard Kagome shout, from a common room, it seemed. Unable to stop himself, he careened into the girl's back. She stood, ramrod still, eyes wide, solid enough in shock he had to grab her shoulder to keep from falling back. Any discomfort was cleared away as he heard her say the one thing he had feared most…

"_Naraku_?"

OoO**OoO**OoO

Tsukiyoshi veered to the general shrine area, checking to make sure no innocents were nearby. The sounds of battle would eventually draw outside attention, and it just wouldn't do to have ignorant humans suddenly made aware of the existence of youkai through witnessing a fight.

Sniffing the air, the young youkai was drawn to a store room, where an elderly man huddled in fear. He smelled vaguely of Kagome. Tsukiyoshi quickly deduced this man must be her grandfather. Forcing himself to smile reassuringly, he held out his hand. "Come with me, sir, and I'll take you to safety." He stretched his senses, making sure no other humans were near. The teen reached out and grabbed the old man, turning and using his youkai speed to carry the man past the ensuing battle as quickly as possible. Once near the road, he knelt near Kagome's grandfather.

"If I go to assist in the battle, can you promise me you'll stay here, sir? Kagome will worry about you too much if you don't…" Tsukiyoshi only took his hand off the elderly man's shoulder when he had nodded empathetically.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Fucking bastard!" InuYasha sliced at the fire youkai, who dodged back easily. Sango had drawn her short sword and attacked from the other side, catching Ken's attention. Gunshots would draw too much notice. InuYasha _knew_ he couldn't use any of his most powerful attacks here at the shrine and it pissed him off to no end. Miroku usually put up a barrier, deadening the sounds of battle, but he had seen the monk chase after Kagome. InuYasha knew Kagome would be safe in his lecherous but capable hands; the hanyou turned his attention to Hitomu.

"Can you put up a barrier like your father?" Like his attitude toward Kagome, any anger he had for the teen had gone up in proverbial smoke. Right now all that mattered was Hitomu knew how to fight, was armed and had been trained by the best. His youkai was rushing to the surface with a speed he almost feared; it had been years since InuYasha was in a true battle.

Hitomu drew worriedly back from the hanyou, whose golden eyes were speckled bright red. "I… I don't know! I can try!" His alpha had never looked so concerned, so desperate… so hungry for the blood of his enemies. Hitomu whirled, reaching into the pouch he carried for sutras. Along with a staff that shrunk and grew with his spiritual powers, the items were never out of arm's reach. His main concern was being able to strengthen the barrier; his father had five hundred years of practice, after all!

The teen raced down the stairs, passing Tsukiyoshi as the youkai pretty much flew up to rejoin the battle. Muttering a short prayer, Hitomu fused as much of his power as he could into the sutra, and slapped one on both sides of the stairwell.

Stopping to catch his breath, he saw Sarah back in the van. The kitsune hanyou was on her cell phone, probably calling Sesshoumaru or Shippou. Either elder had the power to call up the back-up they would possibly need and the clean-up crew that would lay the foundation for explaining any damage that occurred. Making a mental note to pass on the message to InuYasha when all was said and done, Hitomu gathered himself and ran toward a corner of the shrine to begin laying barrier sutras.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Damn it!" InuYasha hissed as Ken's blade cut a burning slash down his arm. He vaguely wondered, in the back of his mind, if he had been smart to retire his old fire-rat haori, with the knowledge one of their most brutal enemies was a fire youkai. _'Note to self: re-commission a coat…'_

His musings were interrupted by a shout, a scream, a cry so loud and so heart-achingly familiar he could almost imagine them back in the Sengoku Jidai. The only difference was _what_ Kagome was screaming.

"Mama! Souta! Let me go!" He could smell her tears from the other side of the courtyard, could hear Miroku pleading with her, reassuring her, telling her Naraku would stay weak only as long as she kept the jewel safe with her.

'_Naraku?'_ InuYasha's heart stopped, _'Here? At the shrine? Where?'_ He couldn't scent the bastard anywhere. There was no hint that their enemy of so many years ago was back… but Miroku and Kagome had to have seen _something_ to be talking about him…

Ken's face stretched into an evil laugh, twisting to see where InuYasha's attention had strayed in the middle of their battle. As they saw the two stumbled out of the house, Miroku literally dragging a screaming Kagome through the door, three things happened.

A gust of wind, followed by a backlash of heat as though somebody had closed an attic window in the height of summer, signaled to everybody Hitomu had gotten the sound-dampening barrier in place. Almost a split-second later, three gunshots rang out from behind Ken, where Sango had finally unleashed her most powerful weapon. The bullets, fused with holy power, sped through the air, creating a hum only the hanyou and youkai could hear. Sango was a world-class marksman, each bullet found its way into Ken's flesh, purifying him.

But as those deadly bullets whizzed through the air, Ken let out a low, evil chuckle, and hurled a fireball directly at the house.

Miroku hit the ground, face stinging, head reeling as the young miko reacted to seeing her childhood home go up in flames. Screaming, crying, Kagome flung her arm around at him, creating a wave of heat just warm enough to force his iron grip on her to loosen. For the second time in what seemed like as many minutes, she scrambled on the ground, shoving herself to her feet, mindless of the miasma now seeping out of the windows, a darker purple than the smoke. She got almost halfway back across the yard when she heard InuYasha shout her name in desperation. His feral cry triggered something in her, spoke to her, and told her she had to stop, as though he had reached across the yard and grabbed her by the hand.

"Kagome!" InuYasha nearly panicked, watching her take down Miroku, clearly intent on fighting her way back to her family. "_**Kagome**_!" Using all his youki, calling on every bit of strength he had developed as alpha of his pack, he willed her to stop. He didn't know if it would work, she wasn't wearing a talisman, which would normally allow him to anchor his pack members in place for just a moment. That moment had proven critical in the past. _'If I can just get her to stop!'_

Kagome's ring shone bright red, reacting to the desperation in InuYasha's shout. _'The ring! It's made of my fang!'_ The hanyou, seizing the moment, tried again as he saw her try to remove it. "_**Kagome, stay still!**_" His youki rose from the ring, bound her in place as Tsukiyoshi and Hitomu raced over to hold her back.

InuYasha thought he would die of the anger, the frustration apparent in Kagome's eyes. "SOUTA!" Tears fell, "MAMA! Jii-chan!"

"Your grandfather is fine, do not worry. I already got him out of the way." Tsukiyoshi gripped her wrists, holding her still as InuYasha's youki receded and gave her mobility. "He's okay, it's okay."

"Don't tell me not to worry! Souta and Mama! They're still in there! Let me go!" Kagome began to sob, entire body shaking.

"Shhhh… InuYasha and Mom are saving them now." Hitomu spoke quietly, arms around her waist. She still struggled, weaker now as the little miasma she had breathed in began to take effect. She could have purified Tsukiyoshi, but it would have no effect on Hitomu, nor Miroku, who now gripped her by her shoulders, standing between her and the house she knew was slowly crumbling. The living, breathing shield couldn't halt the sounds of the house as it creaked on its foundation.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Arm to his face, InuYasha followed Sango into the burning house, focusing his senses for any sound of Kagome's family. Between the smoke and the burning miasma, InuYasha's sense of smell was pretty much useless. Sango had immediately recognized the poisonous vapors and wrapped her mask around her face. The look in her eyes promised retribution for those who had hurt her pack sister.

Ears pointed toward the room where Kagome's family had gathered to watch television and play video games, InuYasha picked up the faint sound of coughing. He shoved past Sango, reaching out to Kagome's mother who seemed to be barely hanging on. Tears in her eyes, Sango gathered up Souta a moment before a burning piece of ceiling caved in where he lay.

Ducking his head and closing his eyes, InuYasha took advantage of the first escape opportunity available, tossing himself through the burning wall, taking the brunt of the crash. Sango followed through the hole he had created, headed toward where the other members of her family stood grouped around Kagome. They couldn't see her through the men, but they could clearly hear her shouting.

"They're okay!" Miroku came forward to take Kagome's younger brother from Sango's arms, laying him on the ground and checking for injuries. Hitomu had begun similar ministrations on Kagome's mother. Miroku's heart sank as he studied the boy; he wasn't breathing, and his heart was beating much too slowly. As he began administering C.P.R. on Souta, a very familiar voice cut through the smoke and sounds of crackling fire.

"So, you've finally come…" InuYasha shifted, Tetsusaiga drawn again, golden eyes darting to see where their ancient enemy waited. Just ahead of them, Naraku's shape blurred, as though he were a hologram. "InuYasha. Do you truly believe you can stop me from retrieving the other half of the Shikon no Tama?" Tsukiyoshi and Sango stepped closer to Kagome protectively, who had turned her back on them, wailing as she watched Miroku try to save her brother's life.

"Fucking bastard! We took you down once, we'll do it again!" InuYasha growled as he unsheathed his sword. With Hitomu's barrier in place, he could do what he'd wanted to do since the battle with Ken had begun.

"KAZE NO KIZU!" Slamming his sword into the ground, five arcs of white-hot flame shot toward Naraku, who flickered like a candle before disappearing completely. "Did I get him?"

The wind attack had dispersed much of the smoke around the shrine, giving the group a better look around.

"Kagome, do you sense the jewel shard nearby?" Sango shook the younger girl's shoulder, trying to draw her attention from the family members who lay mostly unresponsive on the ground. The miko shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

A motion near the shrine steps, on the other side of the group, had InuYasha snarling, leaping over them, and holding Tetsusaiga at the ready for the next person stupid enough to challenge him. His emotions were under a paper-thin control, feeling the anguish seep over to him from Kagome.

"Don't attack me, you stupid dog!" InuYasha placing the sword in its sheathe as Shippou darted up the stairs. Skidding to a halt, he gazed around the shine, whistling at the damage. His emerald eyes stopped at the damage tracks left by InuYasha's attack on Naraku, following them as they radiated away from the group.

The right-most tracks cut on both sides of what was now a crumbled mass of ancient wood, what used to be a shed housing a magic well. The well house had been blown apart by the force of the blast. Darting to it, eyes wide, Shippou realized what had happened.

The kitsune couldn't help himself. "I _told_ you she didn't seal the well, baka!"

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Kaze no Kizu – "Wind Scar"

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	16. Chapter 15: Repercussions

Pack Law

Chapter 15: Repercussions

Kagome stood alone at the large window, gazing out through the night sky. _'I've faced Naraku before… why was I so afraid this time?'_ Turning her back against the window, she slid to the floor, burying her head in her arms, leaning on her knees.

'_I never thought my family would be involved in something like this.'_ Kagome had spent the rest of the day pacing restlessly, refusing to have her minor injuries looked at until Miroku had called from the hospital. Souta was in a coma from inhaling the miasma and too much smoke. Her mother was doing better, but would be there for a few days for observation. _'Why didn't I just start trying to purify the miasma right away? It was like I was frozen…'_

InuYasha had been forced to pick Kagome up and carry her down the steps as emergency crews, youkai and human alike, rushed to the shrine. She only had scrapes and bruises, nothing that required immediate medical attention. Still, the human authorities would start asking too many questions if they knew she had been in the house but got out relatively unscathed. The group had gotten out of the way before most people could get there. Miroku had waited with her family, swearing he'd get them the proper treatment.

Kagome fiddled with the jewel around her neck. The chunk clinked against her ring, safely stored on its chain. She was finally alone. Hitomu and Sango were asleep, exhausted after their efforts during and after the battle. Miroku had been so proud of his son, erecting the complex barrier with relative ease. Tsukiyoshi and InuYasha had been drawn into a private discussion with Sesshoumaru and his mate.

She shuddered, remembering the look of cold fury on the Inu no Taisho's face as he regarded her sitting morosely on a leather recliner. The centuries had done little to break the youkai's stand-off-ish façade. He'd stormed into the mansion about an hour after the group had arrived back, demanding to know what had happened. Kagome flushed, remembering the look on his face when she had broken down partway through her recitation of the events at the shrine. She had been unable to explain what had transpired inside the house without breaking down.

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Kagome's wide eyes bounced back and forth from her mother and brother lying prone on the floor to the figure sitting demurely against the wall. He wasn't solid. He wasn't real. He couldn't be alive; she very easily recalled his body disappearing as Sesshoumaru had sliced through it with Bakusaiga, sending clumps of miasma to rain down upon Kaede's village…_

"_You insolent fools trapped me for five hundred years. Soon, very soon, I shall return to full power, and I shall finally have the entire jewel within my grasp again."_

_Miroku gaped as Kagome reeled back, a pulse of pure evil energy beating off the other half of the Shikon no Tama on the other side of the room. It called to its other half, its sister. Miroku grabbed his staff, lengthening it and shoving it in the tatami mat to anchor a barrier._

"_Kagome! Kagome, listen to me!" He shook the girl slightly, trying to draw her horrified gaze away from the two members of her immediate family, knowing she was trying to tell if they were breathing, knowing she was looking for a sign of life from them. "Kagome!" She finally turned teary blue eyes on him. "You must focus. Protect them, focus with me… we need to get them out of here, and we need to get the jewel shard."_

_Naraku cackled, his ghostly body reaching down to clutch the shard. "I think not, monk. The jewel is quite beautiful as it taints; I believe it will darken as the wench watches her family suffer." Holding the chunk of shard, Naraku extended his hand, drawing forth a miasma. It was much weaker than anything he would normally have been able to create, but it was enough to start Kagome coughing, distracting her from putting her spiritual power behind Miroku's wavering barrier. _

_Arm to his face, Miroku did the only thing he could think of… he dragged Kagome, kicking and screaming, from the house slowly filling with a still-lethal poison._

"_No!!! Let me go! Souta!!! MAMA!!!" Kagome screamed, writhed, tried to get a grip on something, anything she could use to get back to her loved ones. A second later, her home had erupted into flames. Souta and her mother were trapped inside the burning inferno…_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Sesshoumaru's mate, Tomomi, had been much more understanding, pulling the crying miko into a nearly bone-crushing hug and letting her sob out her frustrations. After she had calmed, Kagome had been unable to avoid staring at the tall, beautiful youkai. A youkai of the earth, she looked so similar to one of Naraku's incarnations… and yet, there were marked differences. She had Kagura's facial structure, was around the same height, but bore completely different coloring. Tomomi's green eyes were a shade darker than Shippou's, the color of the grass at dusk in summer. Her light blue hair reflected the color of the sky on an early spring day.

Sesshoumaru had caught her staring and inclined his head. She blushed. "Excuse me, but she seems so familiar." Kagome wasn't sure how to broach the topic, but just _had_ to know. "Is she…"

"Indeed. It appears this Sesshoumaru and his younger brother have more in common than originally assumed. The souls of both of our mates transcended time to return to us."

Kagome blushed even _darker_ at that; InuYasha refused to look anybody in the eye, even her. At this, Kagome's hackles rose. Anger rose from sorrow, she bit her lip and clenched her fists. "Mate? You must be mistaken, Lord Sesshoumaru. It would be quite _difficult_ to be InuYasha's mate when I'm not even considered _pack._" Kagome almost spat out the end of the line, recalling how InuYasha had commented on her status when she had first been brought to the den that week.

Sesshoumaru had raised one perfectly-groomed eyebrow; Tomomi's eyes widened at the power flaring up around the little miko. Tsukiyoshi, who had greeted his mother happily, took a few steps back. _'It is unwise to press the buttons of an emotional miko…'_

The other youkai and hanyou in the room seemed to agree with his unvoiced assessment; Shippou left, dragging Sarah with him, insisting they should "check on dinner." Sesshoumaru whirled around and informed his beta they would be meeting upstairs in a few minutes.

Only Hitomu, Kagome and InuYasha remained in the room, the hostility in the air nearly crackling around the miko's aura.

InuYasha took a step forward, glaring a "_get out_" look at Hitomu. Tempting a temper tantrum, Hitomu turned his head to gaze out the window, ignoring his alpha's more than obvious wishes. Biting back a growl, InuYasha turned back to the miko. "Kagome…"

Kagome swallowed a sob, the sound bringing InuYasha's ears plastered to his head. "Just… don't, InuYasha. Not now. I can't do this." She shook her head. "Just… leave me alone."

Hitomu rose, as if he were going to console her. She whirled on him. "You, too! I'm not in the mood for this right now! Just leave me alone!"

She had gotten her wish. Kagome had been left alone in the room for several hours. She found being alone was almost as trying as being surrounded by people; when she wasn't being forced to verbally relive the events at home, she found herself thinking about them. Trying not to worry about her family, she found herself almost in tears at the thought she'd never see Kaede or any of the villagers again. InuYasha's Kaze no Kizu had forced the well to cave in on itself.

'_I guess I won't be going back, after all. They were right.'_ Kagome sighed. Had she failed her friends? Was there anything she could have done to prevent what had happened? _'Maybe I should have just given up on school.' _She recalled Shippou's triumphant declaration to InuYasha just moments after the discovery and scrunched up her face in annoyance. _'I can't believe he thought I sealed the well! Didn't he have any faith in me?'_ It was obvious from the way everybody had spoken to her that InuYasha had believed she had done _something_ to make the well stop working. Nobody had outwardly said, though, that he thought she sealed it. Kagome was deeply disturbed by his apparently lack of faith in her.

Looking up, Kagome saw headlights making their way up the driveway. Her heart stopped somewhere in the vicinity of her throat. Miroku was back. Thoughts of InuYasha flew out of her head over her anxiety over her little brother.

OoO**OoO**OoO

InuYasha growled to himself as Sesshoumaru, Tomomi and their son left his office. _'Stuck up assholes, the lot of them!'_ What had begun as a simple discussion on how to keep Naraku away from the remaining hunk of the Shikon no Tama had turned into what amounted into an "InuYasha is an idiot" free-for-all. Sango and Kirara had looked pityingly at him as they left, Sesshoumaru insisting he could handle this part on his own.

"_You've spent the last five centuries insisting you'd never take a mate because of the women who scorned you. Yet I hear you've informed Hitomu the miko is your mate."_

InuYasha's claws bit into his palms, blood dripping to the floor as he imagined digging them into the junior lecher's neck. _'Damn it all to hell! How many fucking people is he going to tell?'_ He sunk his claws in deeper, relishing in the pain as Kagome's angry comment echoed in his ears. The physical pain was nothing compared to the memory…

"_Mate? You must be mistaken, Lord Sesshoumaru. It would be quite difficult to be InuYasha's mate when I'm not even considered _pack_." Anyone who didn't know Kagome would only see anger in those eyes. But in the year he'd traveled with the girl, InuYasha had learned to look deeper than the surface. Below the flames of anger were buried a deep, dark emotion. InuYasha knew that feeling well: rejection. He'd _thought_ he'd worn that same pain for five hundred fucking years!_

'_But I blew the fucking well up myself. I did this!'_ InuYasha may have had the "idiot" act down pat, but he wasn't as stupid as he led everybody to believe. He knew damn well he had screwed up, big time. In fact, had there been a "fuck-up Olympics", he was sure he could have swept first, second, and maybe even third place.

InuYasha threw himself into his office chair, rapping his forehead against the desk. "Baka!" _Thud._ "Baka!" _Thud._ "Baka!" _Thud._

InuYasha vaguely wished he could kick his own ass. He'd spent so many years wallowing in self-pity, determined that Kagome had left him, sure she had finally "come to her senses" about loving a vile hanyou and turned to a human in her own time. The sight of Kagome pressed up against Hitomu flashed in his mind, bringing a low growl to his throat.

'_No more of that shit!'_ InuYasha's youkai rumbled in agreement. Kagome was his. She'd _always_ been his, damn it! Not Kouga, not Miroku or Houjou or even that useless Akitoki bozo had been able to take her from his side. She'd always been loyal to him! His ears flattened even closer to his skull as he reminded himself of the fact that had somehow managed to escape him for the past five centuries. _'She's pissed as hell, though. Those other guys never forgot how amazing she is,' _his human voice piped up, making him feel even worse.

'_Make it better.'_ InuYasha's youkai was a bit more pragmatic. He'd fucked up, so it was time to fix it, right? _'Easier said than done,'_ he responded, noting just how much of a jackass he had been. Sure, he'd been cruel before. He had constantly compared Kagome to Kikyou, knowing how much it hurt when he called her "weak", "pathetic", or referred to her as a "shard detector." But she'd never left his side, not for long, at least.

'_Our mate is loyal and strong. She wants to be with us.'_ There wasn't much gray area where his youkai was concerned. His human heart, however, could see a gaping chasm of middle-ground. _'We treated her like dirt! We told her she wasn't part of the family. But she's the one who brought us all together…'_ InuYasha allowed his thoughts to stray to memories he had long repressed; Kagome holding Shippou close as he cried, _'She adopted Shippou when most human women would have let the child starve.'_ Kagome throwing herself at Miroku when he tried to suck in InuYasha, _'Keh. Crazy wench could've died, and all to prove a point! She's lucky the lecher moved quickly.'_ Sango sobbing on Kagome's shoulder after stealing the Tetsusaiga to barter for the resurrected Kohaku, _'Hell, Miroku and I might have just let Sango go, but Kagome gave her a shoulder to cry on, became a pack sister to her when Sango's family was destroyed.'_

The events he'd forced himself to forget smashed into him as a tidal wave, making him feel both better with each reminder of Kagome's steadfast purity, and worse with every memory of him belittling her, calling her names and making her feel inferior. _'Well,'_ he rationalized, _'I'll have several of her lifetimes to make up for it.'_ As he pulled a small youkai-bone box from his desk drawer, his door creaked open.

Looking up, InuYasha saw Miroku, still splattered in blood, and shot to his feet. A cursory sniff didn't detect any Higurashi blood on the doctor, but he was anxious all the same. "What took so long? What's going on?" Another sniff and he could smell Kagome's tears. "How's Kagome?"

Miroku looked ready to collapse. In a moment, InuYasha had his beta settled in the most comfortable chair. As gruff as the hanyou could be, he was attentive to his pack members' needs. Unfortunately, InuYasha couldn't let Miroku go sleep until he had gotten Miroku's viewpoint. He'd been in the house with Kagome, and could provide a viewpoint they hadn't been able to hear yet.

Miroku knew what InuYasha needed, and got straight to the point, explaining what had happened when he followed Kagome into her home. "Naraku still has part of the jewel. Sango was correct; he was pulling Ken's strings." InuYasha's eyes darted to Miroku's hands, clasped over his stomach. The doctor knew what was on his alpha's mind and shook his head, displaying the whole hand. "No, my kazaana has not yet returned. I believe the Naraku we saw was only a shadow, an echo of his former self. He is well and truly trapped within the jewel, and will not be at his full strength until he collects the whole thing." Miroku flexed his hand, studying his palm. "Still, I think I'll keep a glove with me at all times. Hito and Miyuki, too."

InuYasha's eyes widened, glowing golden with concern. _'Kagome isn't safe! She has the rest of the Shikon no Tama!'_ His only consolation was Naraku's inability to make a physical body. Still, his echo could produce a miasma, one potent enough to kill humans. Speaking of which, "How's the runt?"

Miroku ran a hand through his sweaty hair, "He'll live, we think."

"We think?" That didn't sound very encouraging.

The doctor nodded tiredly, "We're clearing out his lungs now. A wind youkai is doing what she can, but we're not sure how he'll react. Her mother is awake, but has a small concussion. Something probably hit her as the house was collapsing."

"Kagome must stay here at the den where we can protect her. Until we know who else is working for Naraku, we can't let her out of our sights."

Miroku agreed, albeit a bit unwillingly. "What about her family?"

"Sesshoumaru is putting them up in a hotel. It's the least we can do. It'll protect them, to keep them away from Kagome. We'll have them under surveillance for protection. Her grandfather is there now."

As Miroku shifted, the scent of Kagome's tears wafted over to the hanyou again, who grimaced. "How's Kagome?"

"I saw her when I came in. She seemed happy to know her family will be well, but she won't take kindly to being constrained to the den."

InuYasha knew that, but had a plan, "We'll distract her. Bring your daughter back here. You and the old woman were never able to finish Kagome's training. Miyuki can do it; she's almost as skilled as you are."

Miroku nodded. "I would feel better to have her closer to home, if there's the danger of the kazaana returning." He thought of his and Sango's first-born, a beautiful young woman who had easily mastered her spiritual powers and was now training in the States. A moment later, Miroku staggered into the hallway, dreaming of a hot shower and his comfy bed.

InuYasha pulled his shoulders back. Biting down his pride, he stepped down to the room where he knew Kagome now lay. Angry or not, he wouldn't let her be alone. After all, she'd never left him alone, had she?

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Tomomi – "Wisdom and Beauty"

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	17. Chapter 16: Distractions

Pack Law

Chapter 16: Distractions

Kagome sat, sinking deeply into the leather couch, head in her hands, trying unsuccessfully to stem her tears. Her mood had only gotten worse after Miroku had gotten home, even though he'd had tentative good news. _'I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything permanent happened to Souta… Is this what Sango felt like?'_ She remembered the look of horrified hopelessness her friend had always worn after a confrontation with Kohaku in the past.

For the first time in a year, she'd really realized what her actions in the past had really done. Kagome couldn't breathe, her lungs felt like they were being smothered by grief and guilt. Everything was really her fault, wasn't it? _'I shattered the Shikon no Tama. The Thunder Brothers wouldn't have killed Shippou's father if they hadn't gotten a jewel shard.'_ It didn't make her feel any better to know that technically, the crow-youkai's foot had actually broken the jewel. She had shot it, hadn't she?

'_Naraku never would have been so strong if the jewel would have just stayed in my body.'_ She thought of the day and night they had spent burying the slaughtered members of the Taijya Village. _'He wouldn't have been able to bring Kohaku back… Kohaku wouldn't have slaughtered his family.'_

Before going to bed, Sesshoumaru had wandered in to let her know he was putting up her family at a nearby hotel. He assured her some of the hunters in his employ were keeping a stealthy eye on her grandfather, the only one not currently in the hospital. _'I'm causing so many problems.'_ Still, she didn't want her family at a hotel. Couldn't her friends protect them better than any hunter? Sesshoumaru insisted the jewel shard she carried would draw too much attention; Naraku would surely come after her since she had the remaining half of the jewel. For a moment, she'd entertained the thought of chucking the shard in the ocean.

'_Everything comes back to this stupid thing! It only brings pain…'_ Kagome let herself cry again, shedding tears for the helpless villagers who'd been slaughtered by shard-enhanced youkai, crying for those who had lost their lives even though they'd had nothing to do with the darned object.

InuYasha froze in the doorway, assaulted by the salty scent of her tears. He swallowed the whine that nearly clawed its way out of him; what was it about her tears that could bring him completely undone? He could take Sesshoumaru's poison claws through his stomach with only a little groaning; he could be beaten to a pulp but be perfectly fine as long as he knew Kagome was safe. But just two or three tears from her and he felt as though the floor had fallen out from under him. His instincts roiled, boiled, clawed at his insides, fueled by the salty scent. She was deep in thought, anxious and painful thoughts by the scent of depression and despair rolling off her.

'_Fix it!'_ His youkai blood whined. Kagome choked out a sob and in a heartbeat, he was next to her, holding her close, rubbing a clawed hand over her back as she broke down into his shoulder. She clutched his shirt weakly, forgetting momentarily that she was angry with this man, that he had blamed her for things beyond her control, unmindful of the hurtful things he'd told her for the past year. Wrapped in his arms was the safest place she'd ever known, and that hadn't changed.

Even as InuYasha hugged Kagome close, felt her shuddering, his human heart ached for the both of them. It was hard, _really_ hard, to shake off five centuries worth of recriminations and hateful thoughts. He _knew_ now he was the one who had destroyed the well. _He_ had prevented her from returning back to him. But five hundred years was more than time enough to build thick walls around his heart. He wanted her; he loved her… now he had to remind himself time and time again that it was _okay_ to care for her as he did.

The two sat in silence, ignoring time as it passed. InuYasha didn't trust himself to speak; he was a baka, but he had learned over the years when it was a good time to keep his mouth shut. Kagome seemed content to cry in his arms, her sobs eventually turning into sniffling hiccups. Even those subsided after a while; she shifted, moving her head to his drier shoulder and resting her cheek on it. Leaning into him, she gave in to the tugging darkness of sleep, and let herself slip away to a world without dreams. He watched the sun rise, holding her weight in his arms, and for the first time in five centuries, felt as though all might be okay in the world again.

OoO**OoO**OoO

The peace lasted about eight hours.

The first battle came shortly after breakfast. Try as he might, InuYasha had been unable to quiet Sarah and Hitomu as they prepared for a day of practice for their chorus assignment. Sarah had burst into the room to find out if Kagome would be up to working with them, waking her and embarrassing the both of them.

Coming down from a shower in clothes borrowed from Sarah, Kagome had walked right into Sesshoumaru, InuYasha and Miroku's conversation about how to keep her on the den grounds.

_That_ had gone well…

'_Feh, we're lucky she wasn't wearing her fucking ring!'_ InuYasha once again found himself in his office, slowly and methodically pounding his head against his desk in frustration. Long gone was the time when he could take out his irritations on his forest. _'Fucking wench!'_ The look on her face, forehead scrunched in anger, bright red, was burned into his brain. The stare plainly told him that she was contemplating purifying the lot of them. It obviously wouldn't work on Miroku, but it might just give her enough time to get out…

"_What right do you have to tell me what I can and cannot do?"_

_InuYasha rose spectacularly to the challenge in her voice, the challenge that coursed through her veins as she brought herself to her full (and not-quite-that-impressive) height. "I'm your alpha, bitch! I have _every_ right!"_

_Kagome narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint just barely discernable. "Osuwari."_

_She knelt as he crashed to the floor, balancing on the balls of her feet. "Let me get one thing clear with you. You're not _my_ alpha. You said it before. I. Am. Not. Pack!" InuYasha bit his tongue on a scathing retort, smelling her hurt underneath the indignation. Hearing her say it was nearly as painful as the memory of how she had reacted once she understood the true depth of his original statement._

_Sesshoumaru looked up from his coffee, catching Kagome's eye as she reached for a serving of miso and rice. "You cannot be; you have no knowledge of Pack Law."_

_Miroku recognized what Sesshoumaru was doing and quickly backed him up. "That's right, Lad- er, Kagome. We all consider you family, but there are a lot of specific laws in the youkai world now, especially concerning humans. A human cannot be officially brought into a pack until they're versed in Pack Law."_

_Kagome didn't take the bait. "What about _my_ family? I'm not just going to stay here while Naraku goes after them! I want to see them!" Her anger shifted into sadness. "I… I need to know they're safe. They'd be better here, with me."_

_InuYasha had managed to peel himself off the floor by this point and was standing behind her. He slowly put her hands on her shoulders, lightly, allowing her to shrug him off if she felt the need. "Listen, wench. We don't want to keep you from the runt or your mom. Or the old man, no matter how much his ranting and stupid sutras piss me off," he added as she turned to pin him with another _look_. "But you have the rest of the damn jewel, and you're the only fucking miko who can keep it pure! You're a bigger target than them." _

_His eyes softened as her face turned downcast, admittedly unable to argue the point. "I promise you, once we know what's going on and what we need to be ready for, we'll think about bringing them here. But first, we need to find out what Naraku's planning."_

_Kagome lowered her head, seeing the sense in his decision but quite obviously not liking it one bit. She jerked her head in a nod once, her jaw set._

_He wondered how soon he'd catch Kagome trying to sneak out of the den. Miroku seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Kagome, my daughter will be coming here in a day or two. Perhaps we can work on building up your spiritual strength even further. The stronger you are, the easier we'll find it to protect your loved ones."_

_Kagome repeated her quick nod, just a dip of the head, acknowledging he had spoken without really saying anything. InuYasha bit his lip, drawing blood, torn between wanting to beat the bitch for the insolent way she was acting and needing to hug her, reassure her, tell her everything would be all right and let her just get out her raging emotions. He could feel her roiling aura, shifting emotions faster than it took for a battle to turn sour, and it was affecting him. He left the room before he gave into either urge._

The second battle had taken place about an hour later, when Miroku headed in to check on Kagome's family. This time the argument had deteriorated into a shouting match, Kagome growling and spitting as though _she_ were the one with inu-youkai blood flowing in her veins. At one point, he was thankful she didn't have claws; she'd just as soon rip the ears off his head and scratch out his eyes if she had the proper equipment.

"_I need to see my family!"_

"_You need to keep the fucking shards safe!"_

"You_ do it!" InuYasha was actually struck dumb for a moment as she ripped the jewel off her neck, chucking it at him. "I don't _care_ right now! I want to see my mother. I need to see my brother! Forget the jewel!"_

_InuYasha growled, a menacing warning sound that echoed through the room. "Bitch…"_

_Kagome took a deep breath, her aura flaring with her temper in reaction to InuYasha's youki. A hand on her mouth prevented her from subduing InuYasha through the floor. Kagome twisted her head to see Hitomu standing close to her, though for moral support or to continue to prevent her from fighting with InuYasha was anybody's guess._

"_Kagome." His calm voice was a counterpoint to the screaming and swearing that had blistered the ears of those in the hall for the last few moments. He projected Calm into his aura, encouraging her to relax. Feeling tension beginning to seep from her, he turned to stare at InuYasha. The hanyou restrained himself from ripping Hitomu's arm off and beating him with it at the sight of the teen's hand on _his_ miko._

"_Uncle." _

_The use of a family term did not go unnoticed by Kagome. _'He's certainly Miroku's son, smooth-talker and all.'_ She appraised the teen as if meeting him for the first time. Silence rang in the hallway. _

_Kagome dropped her arm, which until that point had been pointing rather menacingly at InuYasha. She moved her hand to tug at Hitomu's, freeing her mouth. "Fine." _

_While her capitulation was what InuYasha wanted to hear, the defeated tone his victory was delivered in had his ears flattened, sticking outward dejectedly. He stepped forward, willing her to lift her head to face him. Hell, he'd take her shouting at him again, if only he'd see that light in her eyes again._

"_Kagome…" InuYasha agonized over the pained look on her face when she _did_ look up in response to his soft tone. "Don't- I mean, I don't want you to think-"_

_Something in Kagome snapped. Did he really think he could just run her life and then expect her to be all hunky-dory about it? "I said _okay_!" Knowing she was once again on the verge of making a scene, and just wanting to be alone, Kagome spun on her heel, shoving past the men and striding toward the common room she'd woken up in that morning._

'_Of course, a dramatic exit is only good if the overprotective, testosterone-laden, annoying hanyou takes the message and _leaves me alone!'_ InuYasha followed Kagome, stopping at the entryway._

"_After Sesshoumaru's hunters check in and when Miroku's home, I'll take you to the hospital. Okay?" His tone reminded Kagome so much of a wounded puppy that she had to clutch at the couch to keep from moving to him._

'_Of all the- he's a total jerk and then he has to go and do something sweet! How am I supposed to stay mad at him when he does that?' She didn't dare look at him. She knew, she just _knew_ his ears would be drooping, a sign of sorrow that never failed to tug at her heartstrings. She was mad at him, darn it, and she wanted to stay that way!_

The last time he had seen Kagome, she had been refusing to move from her spot in the room near the front, waiting anxiously by the phone for word from Miroku, staring out the window in hopes of seeing his car coming up the driveway. While InuYasha's words had had the desired effect – Kagome didn't seem to be seconds away from _exploding_ anymore – she certainly didn't seem to notice anything else around her. She had only waved at him vaguely when he handed the Shikon shards back to her, insisting she keep them on her person at all times.

"Baka!" _Thud._ "Baka!" _Thud._ "Fucking bitch!"_ Thud._ Physical pain to take away the pain in his chest,_ 'Maybe I can knock some sense into myself while I'm at it. Why the fuck did I give in to her?_'

InuYasha wondered what kami he had managed to piss off this time to be drawn to a person hell-bent on destroying him. _'Kikyou just wanted to purify my youkai blood. Kagome's going to drive me bat-shit insane!'_

Lifting his head, InuYasha glared at the phone on his desk, willing it to ring. Sango had gone out early that morning, back to where Naraku had been hiding. She was determined to get a better scope of the layout of his hideout; perhaps, with enough information, they could mount a counter-offensive and get the shards from him before he gained enough power to take on a corporeal form again. He growled. _'Fucking ignorant humans. If it weren't for them and the secrecy edict, I'd be in there right now, ripping his fucking head off with Tetsusaiga!'_

The years of secrecy and deception didn't sit well with the hanyou. Subtlety wasn't his strong suit. Why spend hours agonizing over attacks and counter-attacks when you had one of the strongest swords known to youkai- and man-kind? Why bother plotting when the best plan of attack was usually a direct one? Sure, he had been through his share of injuries… but they had always come out alive. In fact, his pack had a pretty impressive track record when it came to mowing down enemies in their path.

'_Feh! You're going down, Naraku! And this time, you're going to stay fucking dead!'_ InuYasha's primary concern was keeping Kagome safe. Nobody touched what was HIS, and the miko was on the top of that short list. Not only was she his, but she really _was_ the only person capable of seeing and purifying the shards. They'd need her to get rid of the kami-forsaken jewel.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"So, every youkai clan has a Taisho. Sesshoumaru is the Inu no Taisho. Clans are broken up by instinct. For example, Inu and Ookami are pack-based. Most neko clans are broken up into prides. Kitsune are canines, but the youkai tend to live in smaller family groups, and are lead by females. That's one reason Uncle Shippou looked up to you more than anybody else."

"The fact that you could subdue InuYasha with a word probably solidified the idea in his young, impressionable mind," Sarah piped up from the corner with a grin, remember the few times she'd been privy to the act. Like Shippou so long ago, she had mentally thrilled at the sight of him eating dirt.

Kagome nodded, a little overwhelmed at the wealth of information she was getting. Hitomu had finally managed to crack through her façade of indifference by insisting she start learning Pack Law. She snorted mentally. _'As if that'll do any good! Who said I wanted to be part of the pack, anyway?'_ A different part of her brain rebelled at the thought. Whether or not she _liked_ InuYasha right now, the plain fact of that matter was that she loved him, and if she had to learn a whole new set of rules in order to be with him, she would.

'_I accept what InuYasha is. Part of that acceptance is learning more about him.'_

"So, what about mixed families?" She wondered aloud. It seemed rude not to respond to their suggestions; she wasn't angry at them, even though part of her was still angry Hitomu had kept her from introducing InuYasha to the den's foundation.

Sarah looked up from where she was playing a video-game. "You mean like a neko-inu cross? Or hanyou?" Kagome nodded. "The family would follow the dominant partner, based on status and family type. With human-youkai hanyou it's not a problem because humans just have families; and not as much emphasis on instinct. There's usually only a problem when both the male and the female would be considered the ranking partner, like with an inu male and a kitsune female. That doesn't usually happen though, since inu males would look for more of a submissive mate. It's the same with vixens."

Kagome's jaw set with a stubborn click. She spoke without thinking, "Submissive? Excuse me?"

Hitomu rushed to reassure her. "Kagome, InuYasha's not like that. Remember, he's inu-hanyou. Sure, you two fight a lot, but he doesn't want you to roll over for him. In fact, he probably likes that you're not a pushover! It's just in his blood to… to want you to submit to him as a leader male, not like a pup."

Kagome's anger dissolved into giggles. Those turned into all-out laughter when Hitomu tilted his head at her… much like InuYasha used to when he was confused at something. "What's so funny?"

"It's just… you're human! We're human! It's kind of funny to hear you use pack terms like they're an everyday thing."

"They _are_ an everyday thing when you grow up in the den with the Inu no Taisho and his beta."

Kagome's eyes lit up in interest. Ever since Miroku had explained the power of the talismans, she had wondered what it would have been like if she had been given one in the Sengoku Jidai. _'If InuYasha had gotten up the guts to talk to me about it, that is!'_ She was still a bit irritated that he had gone so many years believing she had abandoned him, when it all would have been a moot point if he had just _told_ her. She would have known she would see her family again, and wouldn't have made such a big deal about coming home for high school!

"What was it like?"

Hitomu sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to figure out how to describe it. "It's… well, it's different. Mom and dad always taught me what I needed to know to be normal, but I was born the same year as Tsukiyoshi. So I grew up with an inu-youkai as a best friend and cousin, and I'll probably be his beta when he succeeds his father as Inu no Taisho. When we're alone, we're buddies. When we're at Pack events, I'm his subordinate. Everybody has different titles and attitudes depending on who's around and what kind of mood Uncle is in." Kagome held up a hand to stop his rambling.

"Now you're calling InuYasha uncle. How do you decide what to call him?"

"Uncle Yasha, Alpha, Sir, InuYasha… like I said, it's a matter of mood and who's around. When I was young, Dad said the most important thing I could ever learn was how to talk to somebody, how to talk up to somebody, and how to talk down to them. He always explained that the way you talk and hold yourself is indicative of how you see yourself, and I guess he has a point. When I call InuYasha Alpha, I'm signifying that I _know_ I'm below him. It soothes his youkai blood. When I call him Uncle, I'm showing him I believe he's part of the family, which he is, and that plays up to his human blood."

Kagome blinked. She had sometimes thought of InuYasha's varying attitudes as different personalities: the raging youkai, the hot-tempered but protective hanyou, and the slightly-emotionally-imbalanced and yet dangerously overconfident human. She hadn't really thought about how deep those personalities went. _'It's like I'm learning who InuYasha is all over again.'_ She sighed, dropping her head into her hands again.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"I'm so sorry, Mama." Kagome was unable to speak louder than a whisper, face paper-white at the sight of her mother lying in a hospital bed. Her mother was bruised, head wrapped in bandages. "I never wanted you to be involved in this."

Her mother reached out, patted Kagome's hand with hers. "Sweetie, I never asked about your battles in the past because I never truly wanted to know… you coming home with scars and bruises and cuts…" She trailed off, looking out the window, as if she couldn't face her daughter and say what she had to. "But now that your friends are here…" Kagome had shared the news with her mother as soon as she had found out. "I think it's time you start focusing on your schoolwork and family again. This fight… really isn't yours, is it? You'd be safer…"

Kagome bit her lip. To be honest… she had started to think the same thing. _'What good am I if they insist on keeping me at the den?'_

From his spot near the window, InuYasha shot to his feet. "Are you questioning my ability to keep Kagome safe?"

Wincing, Kagome's mother raised her head to look the hanyou in the eye. "InuYasha… you've protected my daughter from dangers I can't even dream about in the past, I'm sure. But look at things from my perspective. Kagome is only almost sixteen. She's still in school. She should be a normal child, worrying about boys and grades and friends. Instead, she's spent the last year worrying about archery and Shikon shards and medicine."

InuYasha shook his head. "She's _not_ normal." He didn't even voice his objections to the thought that Kagome should be worrying about boys. _'She doesn't need to worry about them, damn it. She already has a mate!'_

Kagome sighed. It was true enough. _'I'm the reincarnation of a priestess. The keeper of the Shikon no Tama. But if we get rid of it… will I be normal then?'_ She couldn't help but wonder if she'd seen too much, done too much to ever go back to her original life. "Mama… I want to focus on my schoolwork… and friends and family, too." The stricken look InuYasha sent her nearly shook her to her core. "But this is something I have to do. I think…" She lowered her gaze to the floor, unwilling to see how her words affected either her mother or InuYasha, "I think I was born to get rid of the Shikon no Tama… to deliver it to the past, to unseal InuYasha and let him make his wish."

InuYasha's eyes widened at her quiet statement. He wanted to shake her, make her take her words back and understand what they did to him. The very idea that she could think she was born simply to provide him with a wish sickened him. _'You weren't born for that stupid jewel, wench… you were born to be with me!'_

He chose not to verbalize that particular sentiment right now. He shifted his focus to her mother, who had begun to cave to Kagome's plea. "I just want you to be safe, dear…"

"Mrs. Higurashi… you have my word. We will keep Kagome and your entire family safe." He could tell she was close to giving in and knew he had to play to her heart on this one. "We need her… I need her." His low admission was more painful that pulling teeth. He might be older and wiser but he was no more comfortable with discussing feelings than he had been centuries ago.

Neither female spoke after his comment. He flushed bright red, striding out of the room with his head ducked down.

Kagome gaped at him as he walked out, refusing to look at either of them. She turned to stare at her mother, who had a small smile on her face.

"He really _does_ care for you, doesn't he?"

Kagome swallowed it, finding it hard to speak. "Did... did he just… Did he say he needs me?" She supposed she shouldn't be so surprised. He'd said it before, when they were separated by time after Kikyou had sent her back down the well. Roots had overgrown the well when Menomaru had turned her against InuYasha with a Shikon fragment. _"I need you with me, Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?"_ She could still hear the desperate tone in his voice.

She clenched her fists, a sudden surge of anger washing over her. _'I don't get it! He's hot and cold, nice and then frustrating. Gaaah!'_ Kagome wondered if she'd ever understand him.

"You do what you have to, Kagome. Just… just try to stay safe. For me?" Her mother's eyes were filled with resignation… and a hint of pride. Kagome nodded, eyes straying to the hallway where she knew InuYasha would be pacing now, irritated and embarrassed for speaking out so plainly near her and her mother but unwilling to leave them unprotected with a known threat waiting for them.

As with most mothers, Kagome's mama seemed to know exactly what was on her mind. "He loves you, honey, and he doesn't want you to get hurt. He's a good man. I trust InuYasha, and I trust you to stay safe." She sighed, "I know you've always wanted to change the world… I can't help but wish you would have gone into medicine instead…"

Kagome giggled, and then turned the conversation to other things. The reconstruction of their house, how the rest of the family was doing, and yes, how she was faring at school were among the topics she wanted to talk about with her mama – anything but that darned jewel and the frustrating hanyou that haunted her thoughts.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	18. Chapter 17: Submit

Pack Law

A/N: This chapter contains sexual situations (of a sort…). There is no clean version of this chapter. Consider yourself warned.

Chapter 17: Submit

Sesshoumaru shifted in his seat, trying in vain to focus on the papers in front of him. He hadn't felt this discomfited in eras, really. Tomomi felt it as well; he could feel her restlessness through their bond. Even with the little miko gone visiting her family, her aura blanketed the compound. The only one with youkai blood running through their veins _not_ affected by the undeniable power held it held within was his brother; he was, Sesshoumaru supposed, used to the almost intoxicating effects of the power that seemed to flow from her very pores. _'Used to it, or addicted to it.'_

He sighed… with as much regret as a Lord unused to regretting things could muster. _'To think I once believed her only power lay in the Shikon shards she wore around her neck when we first met.'_ He remembered the way she boldly stood up to him in his father's grave, shouting encouragements to InuYasha and insults at Jaken when the imp made disparaging comments. _'I should have known then she'd be trouble. She awakened InuYasha's protective instincts as the undead miko never could.'_

The Inu no Taisho gave up his reading with a sigh. The years had finally taught him to analyze deeper than a situation – he'd grown to analyze people, as well. Experience had taught him the answers he would routinely seek lay in people, not events. He could not accept things at face value. He had underestimated his beta before, and his arm took nearly a century to grow back. Sesshoumaru set to solving his current problem with his natural straightforwardness. _My baka brother and his damned wench…'_

When InuYasha had shown up in the West that fateful day centuries ago, his rag-tag pack behind him but none of the miko's undoubtable strength hanging in the air protectively, like an afterthought, as though she really didn't know what she was doing or how she was doing it… he'd found it difficult to deal with his new beta. The young human woman Sesshoumaru knew would one day be his brother's mate had generally acted as his voice of reason; now she was missing, and though InuYasha outwardly shrugged off all comments of pity, Sesshoumaru could see the mental toll her absence weighed upon him.

The hanyou was relatively young, brash, brimming with emotional energy Sesshoumaru had neither the desire nor the time to focus on. It'd been easier to attack, to watch his brother try and defend, knowing in his ever-hardening heart that his denials were futile. _"I was trying to protect her, damn it! I didn't want to push her away!" _

Sesshoumaru had wondered aloud many times in his younger brother's presence just what had tipped the scales against his brother… what could have kept the miko from tagging along at InuYasha's side through anything and everything?

'_Only he himself.'_ Sesshoumaru bit back an undignified snort. There was a certain poetic quality to his brother denying himself access to the one stable area of his life for so many years. Nonetheless, though the inu youkai had once wished for his "worthless" brother's death so many centuries ago, now he truly found himself wishing for his happiness. _'When did my feelings for him change so?'_

Slender fingers curled around his shoulder in an attempt to soothe away the stress that had begun to build. Sesshoumaru allowed himself a deep breath, his mate's earthy fragrance wrapping around him. "Her presence here tugs at a part of me I thought lay dormant years ago," she admitted to him softly.

A soft knock alerted Sesshoumaru to the guest he'd sent for. A moment later, his brother's human beta presented himself before the Taisho, tilting his head to expose his neck with a murmured, "Inu no Taisho…"

"Be seated," Sesshoumaru would not stand on formalities in his own home, not with members of his brother's pack and the father of his son's beta. "Tell me… What do you know of the miko's powers?"

Miroku lowered his head thoughtfully. "Her aura is pervasive, isn't it? I believe her spiritual powers, already incredibly vast, are heightened by the Shikon shard she wears around her neck. She must keep it with her, to keep it pure and prevent Naraku from tainting it…"

"The miko must learn control."

Miroku nodded his agreement, "She has much to learn. InuYasha did not discuss Pack Law with her at all in the Sengoku Jidai, believing he had more time to breach that particular topic. Hitomu has already begun teaching her, but she'll need more in-depth lessons if she is to become an alpha female."

Tomomi raised her head to catch Miroku's eye, "She will also be my beta. Sango has performed admirably, but the position will go to the mate of my mate's beta."

Miroku's eyes sparkled. _'Sango will be pleased. She was never comfortable with all the pomp and ceremony surrounding the Taisho Council.'_ "My daughter is on her way back here, to prepare should the worst happen. We have no idea how the kazaana will affect my first-born daughter; the curse applied to heirs, but women were not considered legitimate heirs in that time period…" The monk-turned-doctor realized his was rambling and bit his tongue.

"The miko must first be trained in Pack Law. If she is to become alpha, the Pack she will lead cannot provide her instruction – the Taisho Council will look down upon her being educated by those who will ultimately be below her."

Miroku agreed. "There is also the problem of her age. As InuYasha did not approach her in the Sengoku Jidai, she was not given the opportunity to see the years with us. I expect the Council would be shocked to hear of a girl her age being inducted into one of the most respected Packs."

Sesshoumaru lifted his head in thought. "Her age?"

"She'll be sixteen next month."

The Taisho refrained from sighing or exclaiming over his brother's many inadequacies. Pack Law insisted humans, even those born into Pack families, not be formally brought into the Packs until they reached twenty years of age; the time allowed them to mature physically and mentally before the talismans slowed and eventually sealed their growth.

His eyes narrowed to catch the nuances of Miroku's reaction to his next comment, "I am making arrangements to send her to train with another canine pack. The similarities in Pack Law should be adequate. I am sending her to a place where Naraku should not be able to reach her... and this pack will have only her best interests in mind."

Miroku's own eyes widened as he understood just where – and to whom – Sesshoumaru was sending the young girl.

OoO**OoO**OoO

InuYasha shut the door, checking the locks. He tilted his head back with a sigh, staring through the glass at the full moon slowly being overtaken by dark thunderclouds. Why did it feel like all the bad shit was just starting now?

'_Well, let's see. Your wench's mother almost tore her away… you had to admit you needed her to dodge that particular bullet, so I guess you could say you were still nicked by it. Naraku is back and probably knows where you are, which means he knows where the pack is, too. They're in danger and there's little to nothing you can do about it without seriously pissing Sesshoumaru off, if not the rest of the Taisho Council. Anything else?' _ InuYasha's human side listed with a long-suffering sigh. The hanyou could hardly hear the voice over the rush of blood in his ears – a side effect of his youkai blood gaining power with the moon.

He groaned mentally. _'Damn it. The full moon always made it so difficult to be around Kagome before…'_ He doubted her draw had lessened at all in the long centuries since he'd last been around her… and by confining her to the den, he'd all but sentenced himself to a night of hell.

InuYasha's ears perked up, tilting toward the common room where Kagome was arranging a blanket on the couch.

'_Not again. No wench of mine is sleeping where any guy,'_ the lecher's son came to mind, _'can wander in and stare at her.'_ For the first time in years, he cursed his youkai blood, boiling just under his skin as he drew even with the doorway, staring at her form backlit by the light of the moon.

'_MINE!'_ He snarled mentally at thoughts of any other male near her. He rumbled low in his throat as forbidden images, thoughts he'd only dreamed of, suddenly crashed into him with renewed force.

InuYasha swallowed. _'No… not now…'_

'_MINE! My mate… touch mate… taste mate…'_ His youkai was insistent, growling in his ears and sending his blood searing through his veins with a vigor that astonished him as it aroused him. He sunk his claws into his palms with a vengeance, preventing himself from reaching out and grabbing her. InuYasha bit off a choked snarl.

Not quickly enough.

Kagome's head shot up at the unfamiliar sound, feeling InuYasha's violent mood from across the room. The alien attitude where she was concerned frightened her, sent her heart racing as she gazed into amber eyes made darker by an emotion she couldn't place.

"InuYasha? Are you… a-alright?" She cursed herself for stuttering, for stumbling over her words and sounding anything less than completely confident in herself and her hanyou. The hesitation, the staccato of her heartbeat and the tiniest spike of fear in her scent thrilled his blood beast, tempted and taunted him in ways he thought he'd left in the Sengoku Jidai, with his hopes and dreams of the future.

His future was here, now, standing in front of him, slowly closing the gap between them as concern overrode caution.

'_Stupid wench. She trusts too much…'_ And suddenly his ability to think was stilled as she placed her hands on him… one on his chest, one on his shoulder; she gazed into his eyes, trying to judge just what emotions were overwhelming him, and why he'd be dealing with them now. Kagome worried her bottom lip, nibbling on it as deepest blue met gold.

InuYasha's resolve shattered. With a groan inaudible to the wench's ears, he dropped his lips to hers. He gripped her arms as he had so many ages ago in Kaguya's Dream Castle, his fingers relaxed as she melted into him.

'_How can he bring me undone like this?' _She knew this hanyou angered her. He confused her, he bossed her around as if he ruled her life… he needed her, wanted her, maybe even loved her. Need warred with reason, want battled with a nervousness borne of inexperience. InuYasha's lips, pliant but demanding, tore down her walls, pulled her to give in to him. He groaned into her mouth – a strangled growl, muffled, letting her know that she wasn't the only one fighting for control.

Suddenly she was in his arms… they were moving, InuYasha knew the way without opening his eyes, staring at her, judging her reaction, peppering her with mind-numbing kisses and whispering things she was sure had meaning if she could just remember her native tongue…

Nothing mattered but the feel of his arms around her, his hand moving feather-soft across her body, his lips following in short order. In what seemed like no time, he laid her out on a massive, soft bed, slicing through the buttons holding her shirt closed, never removing his lips from hers. She gasped at the cool air hitting her skin; he took advantage and deepened the kiss, instinctively wanting to imprint as much of him onto her, into her as possible.

For her, it'd only been a week without caresses, without kisses and whispers of love. A week filled with frustration, pain, confusion… a week filled with and not filled with him.

For him, it'd been years, centuries, ages since he'd tasted her, touched her, listened to her responses. Years of agony, loneliness, believed betrayal… centuries without her.

InuYasha held himself above her with his forearm, his left hand cupping her head, tilting her to run his mouth along her cheekbones down to her earlobes. He nibbled the bottom of her ear lightly, scraping his fangs down her throat. As she tilted her head away, a wicked idea overtook him, sending a smirk to his face that would have had Kagome writhing with concern if her eyes had been open to see it.

"The pups say they were teaching you Pack Law earlier," InuYasha's voice was husky with lust, a tremor giving away the tight grasp he held on his need. Voiceless, Kagome nodded, eyes opening, seeking his in the darkness of the room. They seemed to be back-lit, sparkling faintly, an anchor for her sanity in the night.

He trailed his claws up the side of her body, taking the time to memorize the almost inaudible cries as she twitched. He lowered his head again, lips moving against her ear, "There are more lessons you need to learn… Listen…"

InuYasha dragged his hand up to lightly cup her chin. He rubbed his thumb over her swollen lips, grinning a feral smile. He lowered his mouth to her throat, licking her pulse point, grazing his fangs against the skin lightly. As he did so, he lifted her chin, forcing her submission.

"Submit to me… a good bitch submits to her alpha… and good bitches get rewards…" The undisguised need gave his voice a gravelly tone. Kagome's eyes widened as he continued, "Submit to me by baring your throat… By making yourself vulnerable… opening yourself up to anything I want to do with you…" He clamped his mouth on the sensitive flesh of her neck, running the tip of his tongue in a circle, reveling in the salty taste of the sweat on her skin. In response to the sensations, she tilted her head back further.

InuYasha lowered his hand to a breast. With his clawed thumb, he sliced through the strap between the cups of her bra, freeing her from the restricting garment. Following the cloth, his passed his hand over her once, twice before grasping her and rolling his calloused thumb over one rosy peak, tweaking and rubbing until it hardened under his touch. He rumbled with masculine pride as she gasped, as she arched her back… then gently bit down on her throat as she groaned. She stiffened at his discipline, whimpering a little.

"Shhh…" It was difficult to hush her with his mouth on her neck. InuYasha lifted his head reluctantly. He moved his hand up to grasp the back of it, pinching lightly, scruffing her though a more rational part of his mind knew she wouldn't understand the action. To his surprise, she shivered at the contact but quieted.

As though to speak with her actions, rather than words, Kagome moved into him, grasping at him, needing him closer. The scent of her arousal filled the room, ripping a growl from InuYasha's throat. The sound rumbled through her, heightening her arousal and sending a shudder through her body. Her sensuous movements were unwinding him, chipping away at the already tenuous hold on his self-control.

"Ka- Kagome…" A very small part of his brain was still working; grounding him, reminding him that he _could not_ mate her, not yet… this was for _her_, damn it. He didn't plan on being sated that night… but his pride as a male would be! InuYasha had been cruel, had been domineering, had been confused and was never one for words… _'Actions… it's what I do that matters tonight…'_

Had InuYasha been thinking clearly, he'd recall that it was _not_ talking that eventually lead to the situation he found himself in before. Had InuYasha not been so wholly focused on the young woman writhing in front of him, he might have even heard the low voice of his human heart, crying out to _'stop until you're a little more in control…'_

All he heard was _'…control…_' Yes… he controlled this… he would control her…

InuYasha moved himself lower on her body, certain he'd gotten the message across. Just seconds away from tasting her…

A knock resounded through the room, echoing off the walls. A growl tore from InuYasha's throat as he turned his eyes to the door. Kagome gasped; at the sound, he moved up, grabbing the comforter and pulling it over her with one last, searing kiss.

She stared, eyes wide, gasping soundlessly again as she tried to regain her breath as the irate hanyou stalked to the door. He wrenched it open with another growl, cursing mentally all the while. The scent of Kagome's arousal lingered, flooded his senses, until he could not place the fool who dared to intrude upon this most private of times.

"What?" _'Kill the lech's pup…'_

Hitomu leaned back, away from the dangerous swirl of inu youki in the air. He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat. _'Kami, I'm gonna die…'_

The teen cleared his throat, attempting to project Calm into his aura as he tried to relay his message. "A-Alpha," he bared his neck as widely as possible, hoping the show of submission might pacify the enraged hanyou. "Father… father s-says… the Inu no Ta-Taisho…" he gulped as InuYasha's eyes flared red again, jagged purple markings beginning to shadow across his cheeks, "Wishes to see you…"

InuYasha snarled. _'Fucking brother. It's the middle of the kami-forsaken night, what could he possibly need now?'_

Still trembling a bit, Hitomu gasped out, "It's about Ka-Kagome…" The teen wondered if he'd be overstepping his boundaries by insisting InuYasha go then. An angry youkai or hanyou had never really followed the phrase "don't kill the messenger."

InuYasha turned to where the girl was curled up on his bed. Focusing his ears on her, he noticed her breathing was calming, slowing with her heartbeat. Her miko's aura was keeping her on edge, battling with the flow of youki in the air. If he could not have her tonight, nobody could… he wanted her to rest. Knowing she couldn't do so until he calmed himself, InuYasha swallowed, turning back to the insolent pup who dared to interrupt him.

"Go back to the bastards. I'll be there as soon as Kagome is prepared for the night." No matter how much his inner youkai whined at being drawn away from the woman he wanted, InuYasha could not ignore a summons from his Alpha.

Closing the door again, InuYasha stalked back to the bed, bending over Kagome and taking a moment to bury his nose in her hair. Her sweet scent, though still tinged with arousal, helped to soothe his grated nerves. Kagome shook slightly, overwhelmed by his youki and the emotions still coursing through her. It had been a trying day.

InuYasha gathered her closer to him, thrumming a low growl to her, urging her to sleep. "You'll stay here tonight, wench." His voice was still gruff, allowing no argument. She couldn't have found the energy to fight him, anyway… and the bed was so soft… it smelled like him…

Giving in to her need to sleep, Kagome relaxed with the feeling of InuYasha surrounding her, confident for the first time in a long while of his love for and need of her.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Fuck no!" InuYasha stood as though he'd sat on a burning stove, leaping out of his seat and toward his alpha with an angry growl. _'They fucking dragged me away to tell me they're sending her _away_? To hell with this shit!'_

Miroku lifted his hand to pacify his friend, saw the murderous intent in his amber eyes and closed his mouth without uttering a word.

"She's MY fucking pack. Mine! You have no right to make this decision, especially without discussing it with me first!" InuYasha's blood was boiling again, palms on the desk, lengthening claws digging into the wood with a loud _crack_. "How dare you decide this without me, you fucking bastard?!"

Sesshoumaru lifted his head, meeting his brother's narrowed eyes with a calm gaze of his own. "I am your alpha. I am your Taisho. I have the final say in all inu pack decisions."

Miroku grimaced as more wood snapped under InuYasha's fury. _'I'll have to remember to get another desk out of storage… why don't we buy metal ones? These angry youkai just use the wooden ones as scratching posts…'_ InuYasha snapping his name pulled Miroku out of his late-night musings.

"You knew about this, didn't you?"

Miroku held his hands up in supplication, meeting InuYasha's furious gaze to show he wasn't hiding a thing. "Calm yourself, InuYasha. The Inu no Taisho made this decision before I was called in. I was just informed of it myself."

InuYasha whipped back around to his brother. "I won't have this. You're not sending her to Kouga."

"InuYasha, surely you wish to take this young miko as your mate." Sesshoumaru's words flowed over his beta with easing tranquility, halting InuYasha's angry outburst.

"Keh." After a few moments of silence, as though the others in the room were actually waiting on his acknowledgement, InuYasha spun again, facing neither male in the room. Thin-lipped, InuYasha nodded curtly.

"You must know she is not of age." The hanyou dug his claws into his palms, biting the inside of his cheek. _'Fucking human laws. Fucking edicts. Kami-forsaken Taisho Council can shove their rules up their asses…'_ Angrily, unable to do anything else, he nodded curtly again.

Miroku picked up where Sesshoumaru had left off. "She must be trained in Pack Law, and you know the Council will not accept her being trained by the very pack she'll be expected to lead."

_The image of Kagome bending her head back under his ministrations, the sound of her gasp as he forced her to submit…_ cheeks reddening, InuYasha forced his thoughts to something less pleasant. Like Kagome being shuttled halfway around the world to train under one of the few youkai he'd rather gut than allow to enjoy her presence. That he was no longer a threat, that the ookami youkai had been mated for centuries and had a burgeoning tribe of his own meant nothing to his seething anger. Kouga had yearned for Kagome years ago, and his bastard brother dared think he'd let her wander into unknown territory alone?

Seemingly reading his mind, Miroku spoke up again. "She won't be going alone, InuYasha." The hanyou briefly wondered at his beta's ability to know what was on his mind. However, after centuries of friendship and service, he knew it shouldn't come as a surprise. "Hitomu, Sarah and Tsukiyoshi will be headed to the States with them."

The inu pup and kitsune hanyou he could handle, but InuYasha was not impressed to be sending her so far away with the lecher's pup. The image of her pressed against Hitomu, lips smashed to one another's seared through his mind again. "She won't be safe. Naraku is after her."

Sesshoumaru would listen to no argument. "Kouga and his tribe will keep her safe. My son, too, as well as your beta's and the kitsune hanyou will keep watch over her as well. Do you not trust our allies in the West?"

"She won't agree to it. Her family is lying injured in the hospital. The pups have school. You think you can just tear them from all that?"

Miroku stifled a chuckled. "Tear them from school? Isn't that what you did to Kagome all last year?" InuYasha barely bit back a growl. "We've already run it past the teens. They've agreed. Lord Sesshoumaru will take the time to deal with the school and have them home-schooled for the next month or so."

"Feh. And her family?"

"I will keep an eye on them. Kagome can speak to them over the phone as much as she wishes. Perhaps while she's there, she will gain in power. With the added incentive of being trained to protect her family, I'm sure she will go willingly." Miroku sounded like he had it all figured out. It galled InuYasha to think of his wench so far from home…

But he couldn't go against his alpha's wishes.

It didn't mean he couldn't plot a plan of his own, though…

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	19. Chapter 18: Bitter

Pack Law

Chapter 18: Bitter

Another Monday… a day she should have been in school.

Another school day that she was going to be spending in a new world, totally foreign to her. A world where people didn't make sense, where people spoke a language she was familiar with and yet had a hard time following. A world that should be recognizable at least from years of studying, but was bound to be anything but.

'_Seems to be a trend in the last year or so.'_

Kagome was somewhat bitter this morning.

She supposed the recent lack of control regarding absolutely anything in her life, the early-morning wake-up call after sleeping on the couch _(on principle, mind… it was a wonder how the hanyou who would normally pick her up and carry her if she refused to go somewhere could be held off by a barrier set to "fry")_ followed by the cross-ocean flight with unhappy co-travelers were all adding up to a breaking point.

"We are making our final approach to Denver International Airport, where it is partly cloudy and around 66 degrees. On behalf of the crew, I'd like to thank you for flying American Airlines. Please be sure you leave all electronic equipment off until the plane has arrived at the gate. Thank you again!"

The captain's perky voice had grated on her since they'd gotten on the plane at Los Angeles. She bit her lip against an outburst, turning instead to an extremely pale-faced Hitomu. Letting out a small sigh and forcing a smile, she began slowly prying his fingers off the edge of the plush seat.

"Hitomu… let go. It's okay." She'd learned early that morning, as the plane took off from Narita, that his Uncle's plane-related death had really shaken his confidence in airplanes. She had to admit she wasn't much better, but had learned to face her fears head-on while in the Sengoku Jidai.

"Ma'am, we're about to land. I need you to buckle your seat belt." A flight attendant shook Sarah softly. The hanyou had managed to fall into an uneasy sleep. Tsukiyoshi didn't look much better with decent-sized dark circles under his eyes.

Hitomu sucked in a deep breath as the plane banked.

"You know," Sarah piped up wearily, "Clutching your seat isn't going to do you a damn bit of good if the plane crashes, right?" She was no less scarred than Hitomu at Rin, Kohaku and their children's untimely deaths, but she'd flown enough in the years between to have gained a decent measure of stability about it.

Kagome glared over Hitomu's hunched head at the kitsune. "The plane. Is not. Going. To. Crash." She hadn't been so teeth-gratingly angry since she'd last traveled with InuYasha in the Sengoku Jidai. A pang shot through her as she remembered those times were over. _'Baka InuYasha! Impulsive InuYasha! Baka, baka, baka!'_

Twenty minutes later, the small group was standing off to the side, awaiting their escort. Sesshoumaru had laid down the law: they were to go absolutely nowhere without at least another protector nearby. Sarah had rolled her eyes, Tsukiyoshi had agreed gracefully while Hitomu demonstrated all he had learned from growing up with InuYasha, swearing a blue streak about his "pack's lack of faith in them." Kagome fumed inwardly but hadn't said a word.

Sarah shifted her pack from one shoulder to the other. "I'm surprised they actually gave us time to pack. I would have thought we'd have been on the first plane out." Sarah shook her head again, as though she had water in her ears. Said ears flicked, flattened, perked and twitched in time with her movements. The hanyou was used to flying on either her family or Sesshoumaru's private jets. They'd been altered to be friendlier to those with heightened senses.

Tsukiyoshi looked unusually rumpled, bags under his reddened-eyes. "The pressure changes are awful to deal with. It would have been a smoother ride in Father's jet, but they insisted we travel 'incognito.'" Hitomu and Sarah agreed quietly.

Kagome snorted. "Riiight… 'incognito' traveling. That's so incredibly easy to do with the son of the Inu no Taisho and his beta. It's incredibly simple to blend in when the Kitsune no Taisho's daughter is in your group. Oh, and I'm positive not a single youkai is aware of the large chunk of the Shikon no Tama around my neck." Her sarcasm had the group flinching. Hitomu said a quick prayer of thanks that none of them had rosaries. "They're idiots if they think we were safer flying with the rest of the world."

Kagome's aura roiled in anger and frustration as she recounted all the issues she'd had in the past several days. What was she, a chew-toy for the kami? She'd tried to keep her chin up, she really had. But how much was she expected to take before she finally gave into the need to scream, to throw things, to break down into a temper tantrum and finally be rid of the frustration and irritation that just seemed to build the longer she stood there.

Hitomu wouldn't meet her eyes; Tsukiyoshi was on the phone with his mother, assuring her of their safe arrival. Sarah had sunk into a seat, eyes peeled for their escorts in between yawns and bone-cracking stretches. None of them would rise to her anger, give her an outlet… she was tempted to try and contact her mother. Perhaps the woman had some soothing words of wisdom to keep her from frying the next youkai to press the wrong buttons…

Kagome looked down at the flip-phone in her hand. She'd never had a cell phone. Her mother had mentioned getting her one last year, but that planned changed the day she was pulled through the well. Even Kagome admitted she would have been in a perpetual state of "roaming" in the Sengoku Jidai… Miroku had handed over the device before they left, telling her to keep it on her at all times, along with her ring and the Shikon shards. She was apparently part of a family plan with the rest of the pack. _'Not that I'm _really_ part of the family,' _the little miko thought rebelliously.

"Sister!!" Familiar youki pinged off her consciousness as the group turned to meet the three men headed toward them.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"So… Kagome's kind of mad about the whole situation."

Sango lifted her head from the pancakes she was happily devouring, pinning Miroku with a look he usually associated with his hand wandering to places it wasn't supposed to be.

"_That_, Houshi-sama," Miroku cringed at the rather formal name, a sign that his wife was less than pleased with him at the moment, "could easily go down as the understatement of the century." Setting her fork down, Sango took a moment to wipe her face before pinning her husband with another glare, "If I heard correctly yesterday… and I'm sure almost everybody in this prefecture did… she's upset with pretty much the entire male population of the den."

Miroku lowered his head in defeat. Sango, too, was rather angered by Kagome's sudden shift to the States. She had been out hunting for most of the week they'd spent with Kagome and hadn't had much time to spend re-connecting with her friend… her sister, of eras past. They had been planning some girly outings… shopping, facials and the like when everything went downhill.

If there was any positive side to the situation, it was that Kagome had been allowed to sleep in that morning…she hadn't woken everybody up when she informed Sesshoumaru, Miroku and InuYasha that she had no intentions of going to the United States.

"_Do you not wish to go join our pack, miko?" Sesshoumaru seemed completely unfazed by the attitude the young girl was currently sporting. He was also the only one in the room to not cringe when she turned deathly cold eyes on him._

"_I wish to be with my _family_," Kagome hissed, glaring at Sesshoumaru with all she had. These stubborn men seemed to have one-track minds. Pack, pack, pack… who cared about that right now when her mother was still ailing, her grandfather was all alone… and her brother had yet to wake up! "I'm no good to them on the opposite side of the world! I'll worry about being a part of the _pack_," she spat out the last line as though it was poisonous, "when I'm positive everybody's going to be safe."_

_Kagome noticed how InuYasha failed to meet her eyes and rounded on him next. "And you! Acting like you're some big hot shot…" she flushed as she recalled the activities of the night before… reveling in them, if only for a moment, before remembering that she was mad at him, darn it! No memories… no matter how… nice… they were would convince her otherwise! Noting the by-play, Miroku turned interested, sparkling eyes on his alpha, wondering if the normally reclusive hanyou was in a sharing mood._

"_I thought you were supposed to be some big shot _alpha_ dog," Kagome continued sarcastically once she was in firm control of her wandering mind. "Are you saying you're okay with them shipping me off overseas?"_

"_Damn it, no, I'm not, okay?" InuYasha stood angrily, pounding his fists on the table. "But no matter what my position, Sesshoumaru is _my_ alpha, damn it, and he's got final say on shit like this."_

_Kagome's eyes narrowed. "So that's it, then. Sesshoumaru gets final say, no ifs, ands or buts about it? I continue to have little to no say in my life? Fantastic. Thanks a lot."_

_InuYasha glared at Kagome, "What the hell do you expect me to do? I've already argued this with him and he wouldn't take my 'no' for an answer, damn it!"_

_Kagome spun to face Miroku next, moving on in her quest to find _somebody_ willing to listen to her. "And _you!_ I'm tempted to say this whole thing is your fault! If you had just let me go back through the well earlier this week… but noooo," Kagome lowered her voice to mimic the doctor, "You're all 'you can't disrupt the timeline.' Well, look where it's gotten us now!"_

_Miroku cringed under the full weight of Kagome's cold stare. By now she was shouting. InuYasha stared out the window angrily, arms crossed, fully aware that any headway he had gotten with his miko from the night before was crumbling in front of him. Sesshoumaru turned blank eyes to the next page of his paper, seemingly over the entire event._

_Kagome fumed. She opened her mouth to rant a little more when a pale hand closed over her shoulder, thumb moving in calming circles. Kagome sighed, turned to see Sesshoumaru's mate standing behind her with a passive look on her face._

"_Why don't I take you to go see your mother and brother? We can talk on the way in." A quelling look stopped InuYasha in his tracks; the hanyou was obviously about to protest Kagome leaving the safety of the compound. "I assure you, InuYasha, she'll be perfectly safe with me… Tsukiyoshi will accompany us."_

Sango leaned back in her chair, staring up the ceiling. InuYasha had locked himself away in his office that night, refusing to speak with anybody… baring his fangs at Sesshoumaru when he requested his beta's presence. The animosity between the brothers had turned into an almost easy acceptance of one another… of course, Sesshoumaru hadn't been forcibly prying Kagome away from InuYasha in the past, either…

"What are you thinking about, love?" Miroku disrupted his wife's thoughts with an arm around her shoulders, drawing her attention back to him. "More Kagome?"

Sango sighed. "She's really angry, Miroku. And I don't blame her. You didn't hear her the week before she left the past. One time while we were at the hot springs, she really let loose about how she's had a complete lack of control in her life for the last year. And you have to admit, she's right. She loves InuYasha, she's thrilled she got to meet us, but really… aren't you and Lord Sesshoumaru just stepping in again? When does she finally get to decide what she does?"

Miroku placed his hand on his wife's soothingly, rubbing slow circles with his thumb on her palm. "It's for her own good, though. We need to keep her… and the shards… safe, you know that."

She nodded slowly. "I know. And I mentioned it before… Kouga and his kin will stop at nothing to keep Kagome safe. It's just… this is really bad timing, you know?"

Miroku did know. Kagome was completely ticked off at the whole situation. InuYasha was ready to rip his pack members' heads off for looking at him. The situation was filling the building with a tension rarely seen. He sighed. It'd take all his abilities as beta to keep his alpha's spirits up in the weeks to come.

Speaking of the irritable hanyou… he hadn't been seen since the afternoon before, when he'd snarled out a warning at Sesshoumaru. Miroku wouldn't put it past InuYasha to head to the states himself, if only to keep an eye on Kagome. He was a loyal man and his chosen mate was being sent to the one person he'd had an open rivalry with for the girl… whether or not Kouga was happily taken, InuYasha was angry with the decision.

OoO**OoO**OoO

InuYasha bit back a snarl. His office was a complete mess; he'd turned his claws on the various pieces of furniture in fits of rage. Pieces of fabric and wood littered the floor, fluttered past him as the air conditioner kicked on again.

He didn't need to have the door open to know Sesshoumaru had had lackeys skulking around his office. He could scent them as they wandered by. His alpha was obviously making sure InuYasha didn't do anything crazy, like try and take off to the States behind Kagome.

'_Damn it! Am I the only one who thinks we need to fucking stay together? Naraku's out there doing kami knows what… Kagome has got to have the rest of the jewel. That wimpy wolf doesn't have his shards anymore. He'll put Kagome in danger!'_ Images of Kagome in danger, Kagome injured, Kagome crying ripped a growl from his throat.

His chosen mate was pissed as hell, he was aware of that. After Miroku had given the pups the information for their trip to the States, Kagome had retreated to the couch she'd fallen asleep on the night after Naraku's attack on her home. He still remembered the crackle in her eyes as she formed a barrier against him, the underlying threat quite clear. InuYasha could also feel her reluctance to do so… _'Keh. Even when she's pissed, the wench is too damn forgiving.'_

InuYasha wasn't stupid. He knew the Taisho Council would look down on his own pack training the woman who would lead them. But _damn it_, these were special circumstances. How much could Kagome take before she snapped? For a moment, he was pulled from his black mood. InuYasha chuckled at the mental image of Kagome frying Kouga in a fit of anger. Then he snorted. _'Yeah, right. She's still too nice to do that sort of thing.'_

A scuffle outside the door drew the brooding hanyou's attention from his thoughts. A cursory sniff… _'hmmmm… this has potential…'_ For the first time that day, InuYasha stalked to the door, greeting his visitor with a fangy grin rather than an angry snarl.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Tsukiyoshi and Hitomu stood in front of Kagome, halting a sudden rush by two very familiar ookami youkai.

"Sister! Welcome! It's so good to see you!" Hakkaku skidded to a stop just short of Hitomu, staring the teen down in a sudden battle of wills. Kagome was sure the two were going to break out into a battle of testosterone. Ginta slipped around the glaring match, waving at Tsukiyoshi before giving Kagome a quick hug.

The miko had just barely forced a "hey boys" from her mouth when a very powerful, yet overwhelmingly friendly youki caressed her aura. Her hand flew to the chunk of jewel around her neck as her head snapped up to locate the source.

"Dai! I didn't think _you'd_ be our escort!" Kagome tilted her head to stare at the starry-eyed kitsune hanyou beside her. Following her gaze, Kagome's own eyes widened. The man walking toward them was… well, pretty darn impressive, that was for sure. More muscular than most men had true reason to be, the ookami strolled toward them with a slow, easy-going nature that belied the definitely appraising sparkle in his ice-blue eyes.

"Hey there, 'Ski." The stranger nodded at Tsukiyoshi kindly, before turning to Hitomu. "Pull in yer claws, 'To, I ain't about to be causin' a ruckus here at the airport." Hitomu was glaring daggers at the youkai, who had moved on to gaze at Sarah.

"Good afternoon, Kit. You mean you didn't expect my charming self to meet you here? Only the best for our guests, sweetheart." Dai tugged down his dusty cowboy hat in greeting to the kitsune, who barely stifled her sigh. Apparently, Sarah was quite taken with the ookami youkai, whoever he was. Kagome grinned, a real smile for the first time since waking up. Nothing warmed her heart like playing Cupid for her friends…

"And there's a pretty smile for a pretty woman. You must be Kagome…"

Hitomu lifted an eyebrow. "And what gave that away, genius? The Shikon around her neck or the fact that she's the only one of us you _don't_ know?" Kagome made a mental note to find out what the boy's problem was later. Sarah was bound to know. The way she stood so calmly suggested Hitomu's antagonism was common knowledge.

"My dad mentioned your beauty, your power and your brains, but he never told me your scent is almost more amazing than your looks." The ookami swept the hat off his head, smoothing his bronze-brown hair back before reaching out his hand, careful of his claws. "I'm Daichi, son of Kouga, the Ookami no Taisho. Call me Dai, everyone else does."

Kagome had no problem connecting Dai with Kouga. He had his father's… exuberant personality, though he seemed a bit less hyper. _'Maybe it's because he never had jewel shards…'_ Still, something around Dai crackled, made her grin a little broader.

"You two done droolin' over there? I'm sure our guests are tired and would like to be horizontal for a couple o' hours." Ginta and Hakkaku nodded, the travelers wearily repeating the movement. "Well then, let's grab yer gear and get the hell outta dodge!"

Falling in an almost unconscious pattern around Kagome, the gaggle took off for baggage claim. For the first time since leaving the Sengoku Jidai, Kagome found herself completely comfortable in the center of her friends… new and old.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	20. Chapter 19: Writing Home

Pack Law

Chapter 19: Writing Home

Dear Mama,

I was so relieved to hear you're feeling stronger. Your voice sounds better and it was a relief to talk to you again. I'll have to thank Miroku for the cell phone.

I'm so, so sorry you and Souta and Jii-chan got involved in this whole mess. It makes me wish I had never come home. I'm still so frustrated with InuYasha for not talking to me about the talismans when he had the chance! It would have been so hard to live without you for so long, but I would have done it to know you were safe.

Like I said last night, being in America is strange, but at least I'm surrounded by people who are friendly. I feel like I'm a part of some weird youkai-miko boot camp, though, and it's very tiring. It's hard to focus when I know you and Souta are still in the hospital. I think about you and him constantly, when I know that it's distracting me from my lessons. I know I need to focus, but I just can't! I'm so afraid I'm going to disappoint everybody.

"Now, breathe in through your nose," Hitomu broke to inhale, eyes narrowed to slits as he watched Kagome try and relax. She rolled her shoulders, rolled her head slowly and shifted uncomfortably on the ground. Small puffs of dust rose as she fidgeted, trying to get comfortable. Meditation had never come easy to the easily-distracted, emotional girl. After a moment, he saw her brea-… shoulders rise as she did as she was told.

"Hold… and out through your mouth," the teen said on the exhale. The girl's aura calmed as she continued the deep breathing exercise, visualizing her anger, frustration and stress exiting her body, leaving her calm and collected… as much as it could be, under the circumstances.

Kagome had a _lot_ of stress. Hitomu found one of his hardest jobs was helping rid her of it. But really… he didn't think he'd be coping nearly as remarkably as she was. The fate of the world seemed to rest on her shoulders, on her ability to learn and adapt and grow…

"_Kagome's greatest strength lies in her ability to care for others," Miroku had told his son as they made to enter the airport. "But she must be able to collect her power when she's not in danger, when she's not working to protect others. You must help Kagome build her stamina and extend her range of skills beyond that of simple abilities." Hitomu nodded solemnly, aware he was being given a major responsibility._

Thinking about his father, Hitomu flexed his right hand. The leather, fingerless glove was still stiff on his hand. He'd unwillingly accepted Dai's assistance in working oil into the leather; it was work he'd never done before. It had helped a bit, but it would take several nights of work for the leather to become comfortably pliable. _`Better to be safe than dead,'_ he admitted, gazing at the stitched seal adorning the palm. Somewhat like a wrist brace, the strap of leather curved over his palm before velcroing on the back of his hand, providing easy access to the black hole that would appear should Naraku grow in strength.

Kagome sighed softly, drawing his attention upward. Hitomu took a brief moment to savor the sight of the beautiful young woman, sitting quietly with the sun rising behind her. She had adjusted the easiest to waking at the break of dawn; even the time change had done little to daunt her once she had laid down for a major recharge following their cross-ocean flight. _`Then again,'_ he mused, _`it's not that surprising. I hear Uncle had them up and moving as much as possible the few weeks before she came back. She's used to being on her feet constantly, as long as she gets breaks.'_

Kagome was unaware of Hitomu's appraisal, enjoying the feeling of the sun rising on her back, warming her from the chill in the air that seemed to cut through her sweater. Youki from the various ookami and wolves around the tingled at her senses and drew out her miko's aura on protective instinct. On one level, she was aware that a veritable wall of friendly, helpful youkai stood between her and anything that could harm her. On the other hand, Naraku's treachery knew no bounds and was sure to play on some her greatest fears, given the chance.

After a week, she had begun to settle in to her new training schedule. Miko training, archery practice, Pack Law lessons and more… and of course, time set aside to work on her homework without fail. It was, she had decided, sort of like going to a concentrated school. Far away from where she was most familiar, of course, but as that was not necessarily a new experience, she was able to slip into a routine. Still… she'd be a bit more comfortable if InuYasha were there with her…

_`Not thinking about InuYasha… not thinking about InuYasha…'_ She couldn't convince her mind that, of course, and that familiar feeling of hurt, anger, betrayal all laced with a general acceptance and love began to break through her calm. The feelings leeched into her aura, catching Hitomu's attention.

"Find your anchor," he said calmly, "And re-center yourself. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by unrelated thoughts." Kagome bristled for a moment, _`Unrelated, my butt! This whole thing started with InuYasha!'_ She took another deep breath, trying to anchor herself away… her anchor… her anchor… what had anchored her? A pair of golden eyes sparkled in her mind, a flash of silver and red… Not _thinking about InuYasha!'_ It was fruitless, though… for a moment she let herself drift, wondering to herself how an otherworldly being could be the one most likely to bring her back to Earth…

Of course, that wasn't really true at all, was it? He'd helped her to fly… gripping her legs, her arms around his neck as they maneuvered through the trees so easily… He'd taken her from her normal, everyday world of school and boys and fashion to a mystical time filled with youkai and magic jewels and battles between good and evil…

Kagome snickered, _`To be fair… I was the one grounding_ him _with those "osuwari" commands…'_ Hearing a frustrated chuckle, the miko quirked open an eye. Hitomu had an eyebrow raised as he stared at her.

"Having trouble concentrating?"

Shaking her head quickly, Kagome schooled her expression to one of calm focus. "I'm okay. Let's try again." _`Not thinking about InuYasha!'_

I'm glad to hear you're making friends with Tomomi. Poor Jii-chan, though. I shouldn't laugh but I kind of wish I had been there to see him try and slap a sutra on Lord Sesshoumaru. He really must have mellowed in the centuries… the Sesshoumaru I know would have killed him! I guess we're lucky so much time has passed.

Tomomi's son Tsukiyoshi is helping me train my powers. You remember Tsuki, right? He was with Tomomi and me when we visited you before we left. The one you said was "so kind and respectful." He is, I can't deny it, but he can also be really intimidating! I suspect he's only acting that way under his father's orders, though.

Still, his training is really coming in handy. Maybe I'll be of more help to you and Souta when all is said and done.

Kagome stared at the growing puddle of sludge a few feet away. "Wait, what?"

Tsukiyoshi crossed his arms, raising his head and looking _oh-so-much_ like his father for a moment that the miko was thrown for a loop. "Purify it."

A bubble popped ominously from the disgusting puddle. Kagome tried to marshal her thoughts, wondering how she got into this mess in the first place. They'd just finished eating lunch when the inu-youkai had shown up and dragged her out back to a field. Extending his arm, he let five carefully measured, silver-blue drops of poison drip to the ground. With a hiss, the poison began dissolving the earth.

Kagome let her gaze drift back up to Tsukiyoshi, who looked like he could stand there all day. "I… I can do that?"

With a small sigh, Tsukiyoshi let his head drop to his chest. "You should be able to. You can purify miasma, yes?" At Kagome's hesitant nod, he continued, "What is poison if not a more concentrated form of miasma?"

Kagome blinked, focusing her eyes back on the bubbling goo the ground had become.

"You'll want to be doin' something about that mess, doll… `Afore we have to turn the horses out here." Dai's youki was so familiar to the miko that she didn't even start at his unexpected arrival.

"A- all right…" Kagome held out her hands, drawing her power first to the ring, then letting it spread to her fingertips. The two youkai flinched and stepped back as the purity in her aura heightened. _`Purify it… okay, I can do this.'_ Closing her eyes, she visualized her power clearing away the poison. The hissing earth sputtered, then was still. Kagome's eyes opened to see the scarred earth clear.

She turned back to Tsukiyoshi. "Why isn't it healed? I can still see where your poison dripped and ate into the soil."

Dai pushed back his hat, staring at Kagome with his too-intelligent eyes. "Yer not Wonder Woman, Kags. Don't expect so much from yourself. `Ski's poison nibbled away at the dirt… ya' can't heal what ain't there."

Colorado is beautiful. I find myself wandering, like I used to in the Sengoku Jidai, and just taking some time to enjoy the natural beauty around me. It's so different from Tokyo. People in Japan are friendly, but they aren't so outgoing. It was really difficult to get used to at first, but now I wonder if I'll be able to adjust to being back home. Well, at least I'll have some friends with me.

Speaking of friends, and how this trip is like my visits to the past, I find myself again at the center of a group of four. Tsukiyoshi is the warrior, Hitomu is our group's monk, and Sarah is like Sango in that she's my best friend. As a kitsune, she doesn't fight as much, so I guess she's kind of like Sango mixed with Shippou.

And Dai, Kouga's son? He's something all his own…

Sarah giggled from Kagome's right as they wandered along the ranch's open trails. A few of Kouga's wolves followed at a discreet pace behind them, simply keeping watch. _`Like guard dogs, though I bet they wouldn't appreciate the comparison,'_ Kagome giggled.

"He's so cute, don't you think?" Sarah had been waxing eloquently about Dai's many, many charms. Kagome preferred silver hair and golden eyes… but she was loyal, not dead! Dai's eyes glittered when he talked, a western drawl that sometimes sent shivers up the girls' spines. With his father's undeniable charm and a body any woman with eyes would swoon over, even Kagome had to admit he was a keeper.

Sarah's ears flickered forward at a shouted "Ho!" and a scuffle. Exchanging confused looks, the two picked up the pace, following the trail around a copse of trees to find the very ookami they'd been talking about on horseback. The freckled gray, nearly white Arabian mare tossed her head as he loped her across the meadow. With another "Ho," Dai sat back in his seat, pulling softly on the reins. The mare slid to a halt, almost sitting on the ground. After a moment, Dai released his hold and the mare stood tall.

"Good girl," He leaned down, patting the horse on her shoulder as he looked up at the girls. "C'mere, ladies. Let me intraduce ya' to mah baby."

Shyly, Kagome stepped forward, Sarah not half a step behind her. The mare snuffled at their hands, lipping at them and shaking her head when she discovered they did not have the treats she was looking for.

"Is she yours?" Sarah asked with a bit of awe in her voice. The mare truly was a beauty, with a deeply dished face and a powerfully crested neck.

"Yep, ma'am, she is. This `ere's Ginger. We rescued her from a farm went broke down the way. Damn bastards left all `em animals in pasture when they left, only food and water bein' what they had runnin' free. Fuckin' assholes…" Kagome blinked, this was the closest she'd ever seen Dai to anger. His ice-colored eyes took a cold shine as he recalled the mare's pathetically thin body upon discovery. "ASPCA came out to take `em… but ain't had the money to feed `em all. So we took on a bunch. Money ain't ever been an issue. This girl's done a lot o' fillin' out and now is one o' our best wranglin' mares."

Sarah nodded appreciatively, hanging onto the ookami's every word. Kagome forced a smile. "So, I've always wanted to ride a horse… are you going to give us a chance to try?" She grinned as, unbidden, she wondered, _`How is riding a horse different from riding an inu-hanyou?'_ Other images came to mind as she snickered, and then grew flushed. _`That hentai Hitomu is rubbing off on me!'_

To think… for a full year now, I've wondered what happened to all the youkai in the world. I never even guessed that they were just sitting around, living life and waiting to find out what had happened with me and the well!

It's so confusing… youkai culture and law is simple, and yet very complex. I guess it's similar to comparing different countries - everybody has their own laws and rules, but there's a representative for each group making sure overall rules are being followed. I'm supposed to learn everything very quickly, but it's hard for me to keep up. I wish you were here with me to help me make sense of everything!

"So, she's considered the head of his guard. She's kind of like the Secret Service for our President… I mean, Sesshoumaru _can_ and _will_ destroy anybody who threatens him and his. But it looks bad, you know? So she's there to keep the order and protect the Inu no Taisho's pack." Ayame finished her description with an air of _`Finally!'_ behind it.

Kagome's head spun. "I guess it's just hard to think that Lord Sesshoumaru lets other people do his dirty work for him. He was always a loner, I thought. I-I mean… sure, his imp Jaken was always with him, and later on there was Rin… but… he still seemed so aloof."

Tsukiyoshi stifled a chuckle. "Oh, I'm sure he was. When you get him in a talkative mood, father always blames Rin for making him more personable."

Kagome lifted an eyebrow. "You say that like it's a bad thing!"

Ayame's eyes sparkled. "Oh, not a bad thing for _us_, but definitely something different and new for _him_. Can you imagine how weird it was when he came to us proposing a youkai council?"

Kouga snorted from the corner where he was rough-housing with one of the wolves. "Even weirder… _he_ came to _us_, telling us it was sorta mutt-face's idea. He'd always hated InuYasha for being a half-breed… suddenly he takes the mutt as beta?" Kouga shook his head. "So incredibly weird." As Kagome's suddenly cold gaze landed on him, Kouga back-tracked a bit. "N-n-not bad! Just different, that's all!"

Ayame tilted her head, eyes blanking as she recalled memories from long, long ago. "It took a long time for InuYasha to trust us… he wouldn't tell us _how_ he knew, but he mentioned that we'd have to hide ourselves, eventually. `Our normal ways of attacking and killing each other aren't going to cut it in a world full of humans,' he said…" Ayame trailed off, eyes narrowing as she studied Kagome.

"Come to think of it… how are _you_ still alive?" Kouga blinked a few times before suddenly making the connection.

"He-e-e-ey… that's right. I didn't think much of it, but you disappeared for a damn long time. We couldn't even find a trace of your scent once it faded from the old miko's village near InuYasha's forest. InuYasha never said anything," Kouga looked almost chagrined to admit, "Actually, he got pretty vicious anytime anybody mentioned you. At all."

Kagome bit her lip, looking down. It pained her to think of InuYasha alone… upset, lost, confused… and at the same time it stirred what felt like smoldering coals of anger deep in the pit of her stomach. _`How could he have believed that I left him?'_

Seeing Kagome was lost in her own world of thought, Hitomu picked up his father's role of spokesman for the group. "There's no harm in telling you now, as you're already a part of this. This is Kagome's real era." Kouga and Ayame gaped at the girl, who turned pink under the scrutiny.

Silence was thick in the room before any of the youkai found their tongues.

"How did you-… But you were…" Kouga had quite obviously found his tongue, but not his wits.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome shared her story, from beginning to end, no omissions, for the first time ever. In a way, it was cathartic. Several hours later, she felt as though a weight had lifted off her shoulders. In just a few minutes, though, it returned full force as she recalled the need now to train, to learn to utilize her powers. Sinking into despair, the miko gazed at the Shikon no Tama on the chain on her neck.

Letting out twin sighs, Ayame and Kouga rose to their feet. "It's late, and we haven't told you nearly a quarter of what you need to know. You'll be presented to the Taisho Council for approval, you know, so we'll have to get cracking," Ayame sighed. Kagome's story was a confusing one and it seemed as though the worst was not over for the little miko.

"Ya'll want to be horizontal for a little while, tho," Dai called from the room over, where he'd been tending to a saddle and Hitomu's glove. Taking a final, appreciative whiff of warm, oiled leather, he strolled in to the room everybody was sitting around.

"'To, let Kags sleep in a bit tomorrow. She'll do her meditatin' later. We'll do some Pack Law shit and then have some rest `n' relaxin'. There may be a need to get a fire lit under yer asses, but it ain't gon' be much use if ya'll `re falling over yerselves `cuz yer overtired." With a tired and yet sparkling grin at the girls, Dai motioned with his thumb over his shoulder. "Get ta bunkin', ya'll. I'll wake ya up when it's time."

OoO**OoO**OoO

"You'd be wise not to indulge yourself too much. The power drain nearly cost you." The clicking of a keyboard echoed in the empty room.

"I did not create you to mother me. You must learn to watch your tongue."

The golden-haired woman spun in her seat, pinning the man with a look somehow combining frustration, irritation, and… concern? Compassion? No matter… she was an incarnation and had no right to feel such emotions toward him.

Naraku smirked. The look didn't last long, however, shifting into a dark glare of rage. "The shards are gone. They are not within my reach. The miko Kagome has taken them somewhere, and I am sure it is InuYasha's doing." He clenched his fist angrily, "She's eluded me for centuries… I _will_ have those shards from her!"

"It will not be difficult to track such a large chunk of the Shikon no Tama. Kagome is a powerful miko in her own right. She is also under the protection of the Inu youkai packs… she will not have been sent anywhere without suitable protection. Billions of humans may be on this Earth, but they are all traceable to us."

Fingers flew across the keyboard, monitors flickering with changing windows. "It will not take much to find them, master, but you should conserve your power until that moment."

Red eyes narrowing, Naraku's body flickered before disappearing in a puff of miasma. Blowing the noxious fumes away from her face with no more reaction than one who's long lived with a smoker, the woman bent back over her computer.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"InuYasha?" Miroku knocked on the door to his alpha's office hesitantly. The hanyou's angry youki had receded in the past few days, letting everybody know he was once again safe to approach. Miroku grimaced; InuYasha hadn't been so intimidating in years.

"We're in here, monk."

_`We?'_ Pushing open the door, Miroku nearly ran into a beautiful youkai woman. The captain of Sesshoumaru's private guard smirked at his fumbled apologies. Though Miroku was above her in rank, everybody knew she could tear the human in half with a flick of the wrist, and he'd always been very cautious of that fact.

She'd always been able to lift InuYasha's spirits, though, and for that, Miroku was grateful. At the moment, said hanyou was reclined gracefully in his plush chair, feet propped up on his desk and arms folded comfortably behind his head. "Need something?"

_`He sounds way too innocent…'_ "Just checking to see if there's anything you needed me to do. I promised Sango we'd go out for dinner tonight."

InuYasha quirked an eyebrow, a fang glinting as he smirked. "She still pissed at ya' for sending Kagome overseas?"

"You could say that." Miroku slumped onto a seat, looking up at the inu-youkai woman with a bit of apprehension. "Perhaps I'm overstepping my bounds, my lady, but may I ask what you're doing here? I can't imagine InuYasha has any assignments for you at the moment. Sango's been on Naraku's trail all week."

She smiled in response. "I simply wanted to see how my younger brother was handling the loss of his mate. The baka just got her back and Sesshoumaru sends her away again. He certainly doesn't show much concern for his beta."

Miroku gave a sigh. _`Younger brother. She's only this polite when she's plotting something.'_ The inu-youkai had trained under InuYasha's father when she was just a pup. Though she was no blood relation, she had seen the man as a foster father. He had taught her to care for humans, and in turn, she had learned to care for InuYasha. There was no love lost between her and Sesshoumaru, however, and the stories of her battles with the youkai lord were told in the guards-quarters only less often than the story of InuYasha hacking off his brother's arm.

Still, between the both of them, Miroku knew he was speaking to some of the most stubborn creatures in existence. It'd be easier to pull Sesshoumaru's fangs than figure out what the two were planning… though he had an inkling of an idea.

"You understand that Kagome is perfectly safe, yes?" InuYasha glared daggers at his beta, who threw up his hands, palms out. "No need to get angry, I'm just… reminding you. She's learning important things… lessons that will be of use to us the next time we go up against Naraku."

InuYasha inclined his head. "The next time _we_ go up against Naraku? You know _damn_ well she has the shards with her, which makes her a target. Just because my bastard of a brother has no interest in `em don't mean only Naraku's looking for `em. She's like a fucking youkai-magnet with those!"

Miroku nodded calmly, "Which is why we sent Hitomu, Sarah and Tsukiyoshi with her. That and the protection of the wolf-clan will guarantee she stays safe."

Having said his piece, knowing it was futile but feeling better for putting forth the effort, Miroku stood to take his wife out. "If you _must_ go… please, don't be seen. I can't handle all that paperwork right now…"

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	21. Chapter 20: Too Much Testosterone!

Pack Law

Chapter 20: Too Much Testosterone!

For the first time since landing in America, Kagome was completely and utterly content. Well, mostly. Sort of. For the moment, at least… she could pretend, darn it! They were doing something wholly familiar to her: camping, roughing it in the back woods of Kouga's huge estate. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine she was back in the past, on another shard hunt. _'What I wouldn't give for a hot springs…'_ She'd flushed at Dai and Hitomu's compliments on her cooking – nothing fancy, the normal fish-over-an-open-flame, but something they obviously hadn't had much of.

'_Three weeks we've been here now,'_ Kagome sighed, staring up at the stars twinkling. _'I'm kind of surprised InuYasha hasn't come to get me yet.'_ As resigned as she had become with the knowledge that she'd never go back to the past, never see Kaede again, never search for jewel shards_ ('Well, hopefully never. I think InuYasha's brain would short-circuit if we broke the jewel a third time!')_, it was still hard to realize that the InuYasha she knew and loved had… well, grown up. Without her.

'_He barely ever let me have three days to myself… three weeks? I guess he really did get used to not having me around…'_ Kagome could barely stifle the tears that sprung to her eyes at the thought that InuYasha had moved on… had left her behind.

Kagome shook her head. _'No, he was upset too, when he found out I was being sent away… he said he just couldn't argue with Lord Sesshoumaru.'_ She'd been righteously angry that day and admitted to taking a bit of it out on him (she squirmed mentally just thinking about it) but looking back, she could see how InuYasha was just as displeased as she was.

"Yer awful quiet. Ya' must have sumpin' serious on yer brain, little misseh…" The low, soothing drawl drew Kagome attention outward, to where the firelight sparkled in ice-blue eyes. Kagome gasped those eyes flickered amber… then back to blue. _'Just a trick of the light…'_

She wondered if she was going crazy. It was always just too quick for her to be sure, and nobody else had said anything, ('_They_ would _say something, wouldn't they?_') but there'd been times throughout the last week when she thought she'd felt the soothing brush of InuYasha's youki… thought she'd spotted the familiar shape of his face through the crowds.

_The girls wandered through the mall; Sarah dragged Kagome to some of her favorite stores, insisting they "had to pick this up" and that "oh, wow, the guys would just love you in this!" Kagome, for her part, smiled and let herself be lead, wondering just how long it'd been since she'd had a "girls' day out." Of course, the guys were in the mall, watching out for her… Dai had requested she keep her ring off that day, so as not to draw any more attention from youkai than the jewel shard would. Kagome shrugged and did as she was told._

_Walking past a sporting goods store, Kagome stopped as a red and silver soccer ball caught her eye. _'InuYasha… Souta…'_ A flash of pain ripped through her heart as she realized just how much she missed her hanyou, a wave of guilt nearly drowned her as she suddenly felt childish for skipping through the mall, having a great time while her brother still lie asleep, unconscious and struggling against the effects of Naraku's miasma. What was she doing gallivanting around a mall? Kagome hadn't realized she had started crying until Sarah rested her hand on her shoulder, asking "What's wrong?"_

"_My brother… I have to learn to help him…" Sarah quickly found a bench and led her friend to it, sitting and holding her as Kagome dissolved into sobs. Seeing Hitomu across the way, Sarah shook her head; this was something Kagome needed to get out on her own, and she didn't need men to insist she was being "silly" or "emotional."_

"_Tsuki's been helping you work on purifying, hasn't he?" At Kagome's miserable nod, Sarah plowed on, "Then, when we get back, maybe you'll be able to help your brother. If anything, it can't hurt, right?"_

_Sarah's kind words couldn't wipe away the bile that rose in Kagome's throat as she recalled the last time she had seen Souta – he was pale, lifeless, breathing on a respirator… what if he never woke up?_

_Though they were sitting by a vent, Kagome suddenly felt warm, as though somebody had wrapped her in fire-rat cloth. She found it a bit easier to breathe… _'InuYasha?'_ She wrestled with herself for control, but as she found the elusive feeling, the warmth seeped away. Kagome stood, almost swore she saw his face in the crowd…_

"_Kags!" Dai's voice pulled at her, forced her to turn around… when she turned again, the man she'd been looking at was gone._

Kagome forced a smile as she realized Dai was waiting for a response. "J-just… remembering old times, I guess…"

"Ol' times? Ya' mean when ya' hunted jewel shards?" Sometimes Dai was a bit too observant for Kagome's liking. She wished Sango had come with her… she liked Sarah, she really did, and Hitomu was just as friendly and outgoing as his father, but she wanted her best friend with her. She wanted the kind of comfort only a best friend could provide. She nodded, but was interrupted before she could say any more.

"Perimeter's secure, Dai." Tsuki flashed her an unreadable look as he settled down by the fire. Hitomu, too, seemed to have ants in his pants, gazing around into the trees as though he expected something to leap out of them at the group. Golden eyes hovered just out of the light of the fire as flames reflected off the dark eyes of Dai's wolf pack.

'_There it is again!'_ A touch… a feeling of comfort, a flash of red, silver and gold in the back of her mind… Kagome groaned unconsciously as it faded. She really _was_ going crazy, wasn't she?

_Kagome wondered if her friends were having as much trouble breathing as she was. The people next to them were smoking up a storm! Not to mention the heavy beat of the music streaming over the speakers… the loud laughter echoing in the alley… the cracks and crashes of balls slamming into pins. Seeing Sarah's wrinkled nose, she assumed the kitsune was uncomfortable. She didn't have time to bring it up, though. "Your turn, Kagome!"_

_Hitomu grinned, slapping Tsukiyoshi's palm in an approximation of a "high five" in celebration of his score. "Ha, picked up that spare! You didn't think I could do it, did ya'?" Sarah rolled her eyes; Dai's drawl had started to leak into Hitomu's vocabulary. Kagome stepped forward, grabbing her pink ball with a giggle. Sarah had given her a hard time for picking up a light ball, but really! She'd retorted that she was "just a weak human, after all."_

_She shivered with apprehension and excitement; how'd Dai know she loved to bowl? Of course, she hadn't had much of a chance in the last year – there just weren't that many bowling alleys in the Sengoku Jidai… and InuYasha would have had a fit with all the noises and smells._

"_Ya sure ya know what yer doin'?" Dai's low whisper was _much_ closer than she expected._

_Kagome rolled her eyes. "Of course I do! It's like riding a bike, once you learn, you never forget!"_

"_Alright then, little misseh, show us how it's done." Kagome glared over her shoulder at the young man who seemed to be biting back a chuckle._

_Kagome stepped forward, swinging back the ball and rolling it toward the pins. She just barely stopped herself from stomping childishly as the ball swerved into the gutter._

"_Gutter ball!" Kagome's frown turned into a giggle as Sarah whapped Hito in the back of the head._

_Kagome turned back to the pins, glaring them down as though they were the embodiment of Naraku. Unconsciously, she raised her hand to rub the chunk of Shikon on her neck, where it clanked softly against her ring. Dai had insisted she spend this night as "a normal girl, doin' girleh stuff."_

"_Let me help ya out, afore ya glare lasers through them there pins." Kagome gasped as Dai's arms came up to circle her, turned her to face the pins again and positioned her carefully, three steps away._

'Wait…'_ Though she could hardly hear what Dai said unless he was speaking in her ear, she could swear she felt eyes boring into her… could swear she felt InuYasha's growl, the same sound he always made when Kouga grabbed her hands. She swung around, nearly knocking into Dai, eyes darting around the hall… and then, just as suddenly as it had tingled her senses, the feeling was gone. _'That was strange…'

_She let her gaze wander to where her friends sat, waiting for their turns. Tsukiyoshi's face was completely blank, as was Dai's. However, Hitomu also seemed to be scanning the crowd, before facing Kagome with a shrug. Sarah clutched at Hitomu's shoulder, trying to get his attention, though Kagome couldn't hear what she was saying._

'Huh.'_ With a shrug, Kagome turned back to the pins. After a few pointers from Dai, Kagome jumped up and down, grinning as she knocked down a respectable 7 pins. "I did it!"_

_The miko stuck out her tongue at Tsukiyoshi, who had barely suppressed an undignified snort at the young woman's glee. Following Hitomu's wide-eyed gaze, Sarah reached out and tugged Kagome's t-shirt down further on her stomach. Kagome flushed as Hitomu stepped back; Kagome shared surprised looks with Sarah, wondering why the lecherous teen would give up a chance to make a comment or allow his hands to wander._

"Ya' okay, darlin'?" Her groan had not gone unnoticed by Dai, who was digging out a bad of marshmallows and some roasting sticks. Sarah's ears, unconcealed as they were in the woods, twitched as she rolled over, sniffing.

"S'mores!" The kitsune launched toward the ookami, who smirked and held the bag out of her reach easily.

"Now, girleh, ya don't wanna be stuffin' yerself. What would yer gramps say if I let ya get sick on too many 'mallows?"

Kagome giggled. "He'd be proud she's following in his footsteps!"

Sarah twisted, distracted mid-reach; Dai cringing as her nails dig lightly into his thigh. "Grampa Shippou says you're the reason he'd be suffering diabetes if he were human!" Kagome giggled again, recalling the enthusiasm Shippou had shown for any and all sugary treats from "her time".

"Pocky was always his favorite," Kagome said, letting her mind wander to simpler (_'Well, kind of…'_) times, "And I bet I could have gotten InuYasha to roll on his back and beg for a life-time supply of ramen. Both of the boys fought over the potato chips I brought. Miroku… now, he always liked the sodas I brought back." She grinned, "He always made sure to compliment me on my cooking, too." She sobered for a moment, growling to herself as she remembered the many, many times she had re-introduced InuYasha to Mother Nature for insulting her cooking.

"Sango loved almost everything I brought with me… it was a lot of fun, giving my friends a glimpse into a time they'd never… well, I _thought_ they'd never see."

The group had gone quiet, listening to Kagome's memories tinged with a touch of remorse. Hitomu was the first to break the silence, "I remember when I was a kid… Mother would always talk about things she was going to do with you. She was always curious about what had happened to the well, but I don't think she ever suspected you did anything."

"Well, she's the only one!" Kagome burst out, "I can't _believe_ InuYasha thought I sealed the well! Wait – yes I can! He always blames other people for things! Just like when I broke the jewel… yeah, I shot the crow's foot, but if InuYasha hadn't been such a jerk in the beginning, I might not have wandered off! He could have at least followed, but noooo he had to get as far away from me as possible, which gave the crow a chance to attack!" Kagome truthfully had no idea where these thoughts were coming from… it had to be somewhere deep inside, something had been roiling for a year, building with each of InuYasha's insults and taunts, soothed back by his rare moments of affection. Wherever it was coming from, Kagome found she didn't care. Like a cancer, it felt as though she'd burst, she'd die, it'd poison her if she didn't expel it.

"For a year, I had to fight just to go back home! InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, even old Kaede… they all lost their families. They had horrible, terrible pasts. But even then, you'd think they'd _want_ me to spend time with my family, before I could die and never get a chance to let them know how much I love them! But no, of course not, most of the time it was all about revenge and hatred!" Her hands clenched into fists as Dai made a motion to get up, to come near her. Her eyes, hardened by old hurt, stopped him. "Instead, _I_ had to be Miss Mary Sunshine. My heart broke every time InuYasha rushed off to see Kikyou, my head bled for Sango every time Kohaku would show up. I felt like a part of me shriveled up every time I had to patch up their wounds or sooth their hurts or…" She trailed off for a moment, not even knowing where that particular train of thought was going and unsure where to go from there.

"Was it all bad?" Sarah's voice spoke up, hesitantly, softly, and for a moment, Kagome was reminded so much of Shippou that tears sprung to her eyes. Seeing her black-tipped ears tilted so low on her head brought InuYasha to the forefront of her mind all over again, with his wounded-puppy expression that never failed to make her want to do everything in her power to make it go away.

"No," she admitted, "It wasn't. It was worth the pain… it was worth almost failing school, realizing I don't really have anything in common with my three best childhood friends… It wasn't all bad. For all the battles and deadly youkai and wars… the Sengoku Jidai was a beautiful place. The air was clear, the water was lovely. I loved wandering the countryside while we searched for jewel shards. I made my best friends in the past… I still feel horrible about breaking the jewel. I probably caused so many deaths… but I like to think we helped, at least a little, by banding together. I don't think any of us could have killed Naraku… or, well, made him go dormant… without each other. Sango's my best friend. Miroku's like the older brother I never had. Shippou might as well be my son, even if he _is_ old enough now to be my great-great-great-great grandfather… and InuYasha…"

"_Am I, after all, just a replacement for Kikyou?" Kagome found she couldn't look him in the eye as she asked that. She didn't want to see the look on his face when he told her 'yes'… she didn't want an answer at all, really, because she knew what it would be, and it was going break her heart, surely…_

"_Wha-? Idiot… I've been saying that's completely wrong, haven't I?" Was it just her, or did InuYasha actually sound offended? Then he sighed, as she heard him twist on the grass, "I did think that you might be alike in the beginning, but now…Kagome is Kagome. There's no replacement for you." _

_Kagome finally let herself relax, slipping off to sleep as that last line echoed in her head. 'There's no replacement for you…'_

'_But… that was never really an answer, even if he implied it…'_

"I can't believe I le-owwww!" In a fit of irrational anger, Kagome slammed her hands onto the ground, prepared to let loose with another blistering tirade when a sharp pain completely derailed her train of thought.

Dai sprung across the campfire, grabbing her arm and wincing at the damage. A long silver of wood had managed to work it way through the thin, sensitive flesh at the base of Kagome's palm. Putting his free arm around her shoulder, he gently dragged her closer to the fire, though he could see perfectly from his position.

The ookami prince opened his mouth to have Sarah bring him the first aid kit when blisteringly hot, angry youki flooded the area. A scrape of metal and a slew of curses was all Dai had time to react to before he was slammed on his back.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't chop your head right off that scrawny neck of yours, wolf shit!"

'_Ah ha,'_ Dai thought, refusing to bait the hanyou who had the legendary Tetsusaiga pressed against his neck, _'InuYasha's arrived.'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Several "osuwari" spells, an uncountable number of curse words, a minor scuffle and a bit of cowering on the wolves' part later, the group was seated fairly amicably around the campfire. Kagome was very comfortably settled in InuYasha's lap, her wrist bandaged, her ring firmly on her finger (half his cussing had come when he'd realized she wasn't armed), and his arms locked around her waist giving everybody, including her, the opinion that Naraku himself couldn't tear him away from her.

Across the fire, Tsukiyoshi sat next to a woman about the same height as him. Kagome took a moment to study the woman. Silver hair hung in braids on both sides of her face, framing her silver-grey eyes whenever the woman tilted her head forward. Those eyes were consistently moving, taking in all the sights hidden to Kagome's mortal vision. Much like Lord Sesshoumaru, a silver crescent moon shone on her forehead.

"Sorreh fer any trouble ya might of had, sir 'n' ma'am." Dai was the picture of innocence and friendliness, so much unlike his father at the moment that had he not been a spitting image of him, Kagome would have mistaken him for somebody else's son.

"Not at all," the woman replied, narrowing her eyes at Dai as though she were looking at his very soul.

InuYasha grumbled a warning growl; it reverberated through Kagome. "I don't trust wolf-shit as far as I can throw him; why should I trust you to take care of my pack?"

Dai averted his eyes at InuYasha's growl, refusing to goad the hanyou into an argument. "Pa 'n' ah dun see eye ta eye on plenty o' stuff…"

"Your views on hanyou, for example?" the woman spat out pointedly. Unfazed, the ookami nodded.

"Ah say 'live 'n let live.' A person ain't gonna get ta choose how he's born or who he's born to. An' it's kinda dumb fer Pa ta make a big deal 'bout hanyou… he wanted Kags fer a mate, yeah? Ah'd've been hanyou, too."

As InuYasha growled again at Dai's insinuation that Kouga could ever have stood a chance in taking Kagome away, the miko studied the youkai woman closely. It was obvious she was an inu-youkai. She was staring at Dai as though seeing him for the first time… heck, maybe she was. Either way, Kagome thought she saw a flash of approval in those eyes…

Another flick of silver-grey, and Kagome knew she'd been caught staring.

The women met her stare before giving her a very-obvious once over. A moment later, the woman was next to her and InuYasha. "So, you're Kagome. I'm Aratakoumyou, InuYasha's sister."

Kagome's eyes widened; she blinked, confused. "S-sister?" She twisted around to look at InuYasha, "I didn't think-"

InuYasha chuckled, confusing Kagome even more. Growling one moment and almost laughing the next? What was wrong with him? "Not my real sister. I guess she trained with my old man back in the day… he kind of adopted her when her parents died."

Kagome turned back to the woman, curiosity aroused. "Are you the 'Head of the Guard' Tsukiyoshi was telling me about?"

Aratakoumyou inclined her head slightly. "I am. And you're the all-powerful miko InuYasha's pack has regaled me with stories about. Call me Arata. I think I like you… anybody who can keep my stubborn little brother in line certainly gets my vote of confidence."

InuYasha snorted as Arata made her way back around the campfire, glaring and wrinkling her nose disdainfully at the wolves that once again prowled the darkness at the edge of camp. "Stubborn, my ass…"

Kagome twisted again, giving InuYasha a bland look. "Oh, you're sooo right. You've _never_ been stubborn a day in your life. Why don't you try and convince me you hate ramen, too, while you're being a baka?"

Tsukiyoshi sounded like he was choking as Hitomu let out a full laugh. Arata snickered, pleased with her little brother's choice of mate. Even Dai's eyes sparkled as the two commenced doing what they did best – argue.

Sarah shook her head, taking her turn to greet Arata. "Thank God you're here… there's just way too much testosterone in this camp. Want a s'more?"

Though outwardly miffed, inside, Kagome grinned, her happiness seeping into her aura. She was halfway around the world, in her own time… but for the first time in ages, she could honestly say she was completely and utterly content.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Master, I've located the miko Kagome." The golden-haired youkai rose, clutching a piece of paper as she wandered over to the chunk of jewel sitting on the stand. Red eyes narrowed as the Shikon remained dormant.

"_At one point, you had completely control over the jewel,"_ she recalled Naraku telling her. _"Until that girl stole it from you. She stole many things from you… it's a shame you don't remember…"_

The woman's mouth turned down as she frowned pensively. She never recalled her old life, not really. At night, when she was alone, or as she surfed the internet, images and sounds would send flashes of memory skipping through her brain, too fast to grasp hold of, but enough to leave her with a feeling of longing…

But why? What was she missing? As far as she could remember, Naraku had always been kind to her. Sure, there were times when she thought she saw him staring at her with a strange expression on his face out of the corner of her eye, but she chalked that down to an overactive imagination. He provided for her, as long as she helped him, gave her food and clothes and anything she wished for.

'_Why can't I remember?'_ Names and faces eluded her… she simply woke up one day in his office, stretched on a plush couch, garbed in fine silken robes. She wasn't frightened; though something in the back of her mind let her know that something was wrong, she couldn't put her finger down on _what_ exactly was making her feel uneasy.

Then he walked in the room, gave her an appraising look, and a name. _"Chiaki. A thousand autumns… it feels as though I have waited for you that long. You're a hard person to find, Ki… and now, you're mine."_ He led her to a room, comfortably furnished, and said she would begin working for him the next morning.

Staring in the mirror for the first time had been a shock. Red eyes… straw-blonde hair… she was youkai… _'I wasn't always youkai, was I? This seems… wrong…'_

Always that feeling of wrong… never a reason behind it that Ki could recall. As she clenched her hand, paper crinkled, brought her back to the present…

"Master Naraku… the miko Kagome… I have her now. What shall we do about it?"

Her dark master appeared before her. Pale, she knew he had used up too much strength in the previous days, knew she would have to provide him with some life-force soon if he were to be strong enough.

"Where is she? Where are the rest of my jewel shards?"

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Excerpt taken from the InuYasha manga, Chapter 78 "A Tender Smell", page 16 (translation taken from )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	22. Chapter 21: Proving Her Worth

Pack Law

Chapter 21: Proving Her Worth

'_This is worse than any math test!'_ Kagome fidgeted, unable to sit still.

Looking rather intimidating in her dark blue uniform, Arata paced steadily around the room, barraging Kagome with question after question. InuYasha, Tsukiyoshi, Hitomu, Sarah, Dai, Ayame and Kouga all sat along the wall, staring at the miko while she answered. Sometimes slowly, sometimes confidently… the audience was almost more distracting than Arata's relentless pacing.

Not even a full day after InuYasha and Arata made themselves known, Arata began quizzing the girl, checking to see what she'd learned and what she had left to practice. The Taisho Council would be in only three days, she told Kagome, which meant very few days to get things down.

Kagome had her face buried in her hands as she tried to recall the answer to the most recent question. Her stress put InuYasha on edge; he glared at Arata for all he was worth. For her part, the youkai simply raised an eyebrow in response. "If this minor level of stress bugs you, you'll be a nervous wreck at the Taisho Council. You being on edge will influence the Council negatively, InuYasha; it seems as though you do not have faith in her. Do you wish to jeopardize Kagome's chances?"

InuYasha glared harder.

"And you, miko, do you have a response yet?"

"Ah… the beta takes over in times of- of great need for a pack, flock or pride. The beta enforces his Taisho's rules and takes command if necessary. T-this is only when…" Kagome racked her brain, feeling every eye in the room on her, "w-when… if the current Taisho does not have a son… or daughter… of age. If they do, the beta acts as… as an advisor to the new Taisho and his… or her… b-beta?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

Kagome lifted her head, stung by the hostility in Arata's voice. "I'm telling you."

The youkai stared down at the miko, who met her gaze and refused to look away. _'If you are accepted by the Taisho Council, you will become InuYasha's equal. That puts you above everybody else in the den, except Father and Mother,'_ Tsukiyoshi had told Kagome one day. _'This means if somebody other than them meets your gaze, you must face them head-on. It is not in your nature to be antagonistic, Kagome, but this is something you _must not _fail to do. It is a matter of pride.'_

After a full minute, Arata looked away with a wan smile on her face. "You've got guts, I'll give you that."

InuYasha snorted. "More beauty than brains in that head of hers…" he muttered, flushing a moment later when he realized what he had said. He whirled to face Hitomu, who had a grin very reminiscent of his father on his face.

"Say anything," InuYasha growled, "and I will make _damn sure_ your family line ends with you…"

Kouga rolled his eyes. "Five centuries, mutt, and you still can't admit to what the rest of us already know?" He turned to face the miko, "You sure you don't wanna stay here with us? I may be taken… but Dai could use a powerful mate…"

Kagome buried her face back in her hands as Sarah was just able to bite off a tiny growl of her own. Tsukiyoshi and Arata snickered at the teasing.

"This is why I've never looked for a mate," Arata said to the younger inu youkai, "It's just another thing for your enemies to use against you." Tsukiyoshi nodded his agreement.

Hitomu chuckled. "You sound so much like Uncle Sesshoumaru when you say that… I seem to remember hearing he had similar thoughts until he met Aunt Tomomi…"

Arata growled, grasping Hitomu by the front of his shirt and dragging him close enough that he was reflected in her eyes. "Do not _ever_ compare me to that pompous, poofed-up, holier-than-thou windbag… or you won't have to worry about your family curse rushing up to claim you." Hitomu's eyes widened as he gulped. Arata continued in a low voice, "I will rip off your arm and beat you with it until you are dead." The cowed teen nodded empathetically, twisting his head away from her in a sign of submission. Pacified, Arata released him.

Tsukiyoshi shook his head at his beta-to-be slowly. "You should have known better than to compare Aratakoumyou to father. She's never really appreciated the familial connections, you know that."

Hitomu grinned. "Yeah. But isn't she beautiful when she's angry?" Arata, who overheard the comment, rolled her eyes and snorted, turning instead to see how InuYasha would handle Kouga's insinuation that Kagome should stay State-side.

Seeing the situation dissolve into the chaos that normally surrounded them, Kagome grinned… then grimaced, as she saw a very familiar look on InuYasha's face. She didn't want him to tear into Kouga… but…

'_I will not subdue him this time!'_ she insisted stubbornly. Hitomu had taken the time to describe just how the hanyou had seen her use of the spell in the past; he'd taken it as Kagome aligning herself with the ookami, embarrassed him with a show of her power over him. She didn't want to give that image now… not when things looked like they might actually be going right for a change.

'_If only they would stop acting like animals! Kouga only does it to get a rise out of InuYasha, why can't he see that?'_ Taking a deep breath, she walked up behind InuYasha, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Kouga, but I won't be staying here." She ached to tell him that she was meant to stay with InuYasha, that one day they would be together and darn him for even thinking otherwise… but with the way the hanyou's attitude had swung back and forth regarding her, she just wasn't brave enough to breach that particular topic.

She had to admit she was surprised when InuYasha failed to shake off her touch; instead, he wrapped an arm around her, swinging her around as he pulled her closer and buried his nose in her hair. Kagome flushed at the closeness but was unwilling to give it up, no matter how embarrassed she was. She'd missed this… the safety of his arms, his masculine, woodsy scent, the way he made her feel protected and special during those few moments when he deigned to show the tiniest bit of affection…

Kagome was sure InuYasha was giving Kouga a cocky smirk, but buried her face in his shirt, refusing to look. She didn't want to see; she didn't want to be mad at him anymore.

"Ya'll best get ta bed… be daylight soon 'nuff." Dai broke though the noise. "Ya'll wanna wake up wit' the sun. Yash, yer beta and his mate called, they'll be landin' 'round noonish tomorrow."

InuYasha nodded stiffly, eyes still narrowed at the younger youkai. A part of his brain reminded him that being angry at Dai was foolish; his rival's son had done nothing to raise InuYasha's suspicions about his intentions towards Kagome. A bigger part of his mind didn't care, recalling Kagome in his embrace at the bowling alley and remembering the times he'd rushed to her side after she exhausted herself practicing her miko powers. _'You,'_ InuYasha swore mentally, now resorted to glaring and growling quietly at Dai_, 'are one dead motherfucking ookami if you ever lay a hand on Kagome again…'_

Kagome lifted her head, alerted to InuYasha's bad attitude by the growling that rumbled through his chest and into her. She tugged on one of his forelocks, drawing his gaze away from the hated ookami. "Are you going to stand here growling all night or do I get to actually go to bed?" She continued, "I'm tired, darn it, and I want to be awake when Sango and Miroku get here."

Narrowing his eyes at the miko, InuYasha apparently decided she really _was_ tired and needed sleep and muttered a "keh," sweeping her up bridal-style and sniffing out the room she'd been staying in.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A few hours later, Kagome had yet to fall asleep. She lay in the dark room, peering through hooded eyes at InuYasha. As if her hanyou from the past had once again come forward in time, he sat scrunched up under the wall, Tetsusaiga within arm's reach, ears twitching at the sounds filtering in the window from outside. She studied the steady rise and fall of his chest, the calm expression on his face, wondering if he had actually fallen asleep.

Moonlight shimmered off his hair, drawing her attention to his ears. _'That's right. He'll be human soon… the new moon is only a few days away.' _As she shifted in the bed, sitting up and flipping off her covers, one swiveled around to point directly at her. _'That's kind of unnerving… it's like I'm being watched, even with his eyes closed.'_

"Baka wench," InuYasha muttered without opening his eyes, "I thought you were tired. Ain't you gonna fall asleep before sunrise?"

Kagome bit her lip, feeling somewhat like a child getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "I… j-just…" She shifted a bit, staring at her socks before clearing her throat. "I've missed you," she admitted quietly.

A soft shuffling was the only warning before she lifted her head and found herself swimming in intense, molten gold. _'Too close…'_ Kagome could feel her heart hammering in her chest, could feel his warmth, felt his breath in puffs across her lips, knew her eyes had widened as heat crept up her cheeks.

InuYasha let out a snort, lifting an eyebrow, amused at the miko's reaction to his proximity. "Keh… what're you so twitchy about?" A smirk crossing his face, he advanced slowly, smirk widening as she scrambled backward on the bed. Kagome squeaked as she hit the wall with a _'thump'_, trapped between a hanyou with unknown intentions and unyielding wood. _'What happened to my shy hanyou?'_ she wondered, answering her own question, _'Obviously… h-he grew up!'_

Close… so close, and yet still seeming so far away… InuYasha leant in until his lips were just brushing hers. "I missed you too, wench." Then he was holding her, kissing her, claws scraping gently across the back of her head and the small of her back, kissing her as though he was afraid she'd disappear if he didn't. Caught off guard, Kagome gasped; he took advantage and deepened the kiss, letting loose a rumble of male pride as she softened against him and responded in kind.

She was drowning… lost in InuYasha, in the feelings he drew from her, taking and giving and making her tremble at the force, the strength she always knew was there but had never truly experienced. Unlike the night that seemed so long ago, he held his youki in check, dominating her with his touch rather than his aura. Kisses in the past never seemed to evoke emotions like this one did… All too soon, she broke away, the need for oxygen stronger than her need for him.

Shuddering slightly, InuYasha pressed his forehead against hers. "Did you mean it?"

"W-what?" Confused, Kagome blinked, unable to grasp what he was talking about. "When I said I missed you?"

InuYasha shook his head. "No. What you said last night."

'_That's unfair… he can't kiss me like that and expect me to think clearly afterwards…'_ Kagome made a feeble attempt to think back to the night before. The heavy weight of the man in front of her made it rather difficult to focus on anything else. Seeing the bemusement in her eyes, InuYasha took the initiative. "You kinda said it was sorta my fault the jewel broke, 'cuz I left you alone." His ears drooped at the memory of the anger in her voice.

Kagome's breath hitched. _'That's right. I spilled my guts to Hitomu and everybody – InuYasha heard all of that.'_ She worried her lip as she tried to formulate how to approach InuYasha. _ 'Well, they say honesty is the best policy.'_

"I guess… I-I don't really know where all that came from, you know?" She chanced looking up, wanted him to see the sincerity in her eyes. She wasn't prepared for the look of pain on his face, though; the InuYasha she'd come to know had never been so open with his emotions. It cut through her like a knife. "I just…" Kagome sighed, trying to recall all she had said and force it into words that would make sense. "I guess… I was tired of always being the one blamed for things. I-it seemed like… like everything was my fault. And I know I'm the one who broke the jewel… but you were supposed to protect me, weren't you?"

Before he could respond, she plowed forward, "Either way, it doesn't matter. I… I'm glad things turned out the way they did." Her voice dropped a few notches as she admitted, "I wouldn't trade the last year for anything. Even if I did get hurt a bit, even if some of it… well, a lot of it… was scary and new and confusing."

Daring to see how he was going to respond, she flicked her eyes up, peering at him through her bangs. He had pulled back, a rare, thoughtful look on his face. His left ear twitched, a movement Kagome had come to associate with his thinking over something big.

"I'm… Kagome…" InuYasha seemed to be grappling with something mentally. He sucked in a big breath, expelling it all at once. "I'm-sorry-I-kept-you-from-your-family-so-much-and-made-you-sad."

Kagome blinked, blue eyes reflecting her absolute shock at his sudden, rushed and completely unexpected apology. After a moment, she stifled a giggle. But her laughter wouldn't be contained, and bubbled up in her until she was clutching her stomach, gasping for breath and trying in vain to keep it down, aware of the other occupants with youkai hearing. Wiping tears from her eyes, she lifted her head again to look at InuYasha. The familiar, disgruntled expression he now bore almost sent her reeling with amusement again; she was proud to keep herself quiet.

"Keh! Figures. I apologize and you go off the fucking deep end." He snorted, lifting his head haughtily. After a few moments of silence, he dropped his shoulders. "Just what the hell's so funny, anyway?"

Forcing herself to keep the laughter out of her voice, she smiled. "You're so much older now, and sometimes it confuses me… but just a minute ago, it was like you hadn't changed a bit. You still hate to apologize, don't you?"

InuYasha growled. "An alpha doesn't usually grovel, wench. You should be thankful!"

"Grovel?" Kagome bit her lip, trying to tamp down her amusement. "Is that what you thought that was? You could barely get a 'sorry' out!"

"Feh." Though he looked away, arms crossed, Kagome noticed his ears were still cocked in her direction. Both felt the weight of their time apart ease as they fell into old habits of bickering; neither angry, but both enjoying the verbal sparring. It had a familiarity that couldn't be denied, and each reveled in it as the silence stretched on.

"For what it's worth… I really am s-sorry." This time, InuYasha spoke with such seriousness that Kagome couldn't be amused. "I was… I was a real ass to you. A lot. And I…" she realized how hard it was for him to say this, and opened her mouth to cut him off. She knew, even after it had happened…

"Don't," he said, seeing her mouth open. "Just… j-just let me say this." Kagome nodded. "I ain't good with words. You know that. But you… you deserve them. You deserve pretty words and some pansy-ass guy who'll give you shit. Not like the dumb shit I give you… all the damn cussing and putting you down." He flushed, just barely visible in the moonlight, "But even if I know that… I-I-I…"

"I love you." The words tumbled out of Kagome's mouth, much like InuYasha's original attempt at an apology.

And just like that, the silence smothered the room once more.

InuYasha's ears twitched, he blinked. Sure, he _knew_ it. He'd heard her say it, flat-out, to Hitomu. Her body language said it when she snuggled up against him, when she would tend his injuries, when she forgave him for being a thick-headed baka. But she'd never actually said it out loud to _him._ Not like _this._

Kagome buried her face in her hands. _'Oh _kami_, how embarrassing!'_ She knew without a mirror that she was bright red. Her heart pounded in its chest, seemingly ready to leap out of her and wander off to do equally-embarrassing things. Kagome wished the bed and floor would just open up and swallow her whole.

InuYasha broke the silence as he moved to sit by the wall again. "Y-you… need sleep." Kagome nodded, unable to do look up. She heard the way his voice cracked as he said that and knew he was avoiding responding to her. _'He's too old for you now, Kagome! Get your head together!'_

She rolled over, but never was able to fall asleep. InuYasha never spoke up.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Kagome! It's so good to see you!" Sango threw her arms around her little sister happily, ignoring the looks from fellow passengers as the girls began speaking of the past three weeks in rapid Japanese.

Hitomu lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah, nice to see you too, Mother." His sarcasm was lost on Sango, who was thrilled to finally be re-united with Kagome. Again. With a bit of a smirk, Miroku clapped his hand on his son's shoulders.

"Don't worry about it too much, Hitomu. Your mother still loves you; she's just excited to see Kagome. Remember, they never really were able to spend time with each other on this side of time."

Hitomu flushed. "I didn't say she didn't! But a little acknowledgement might be nice," he grumbled. Tsukiyoshi chuckled at his beta's distress. Like his mother, Hitomu held the very idea of "family" in high regard. Having grown up in an inu youkai pack meant he had a certainly warped idea of how the word was defined, but it was still important to him. _'Then again,'_ he thought, _'Kagome is like Mother's sister. That she hasn't really spent any time with in centuries. So I guess it's not all that strange.'_ That thought settled him, though the teen rebelled slightly at the thought of Kagome as an "aunt". He'd seen the way she looked at InuYasha but it still drove him nuts to know she preferred somebody who was well-known for putting her down and making her feel like crap.

"Have you been eating properly, Hitomu?" Sango finally turned her attention to her son, who stuck his tongue out impudently.

"No, mother, I've eaten nothing but dirt and drunk nothing but beer since I've been here," he responded cheekily, with a humorous glint in his eye. Sango was caught off-guard by how much he resembled his father at that moment. Then his response registered and she raised an eyebrow.

"You get too cocky and I'll remind you of your position, young man…" Hitomu knew the threat was more of a promise and really didn't feel like spending hours training under his mother; she always worked him until the sweat dripped off him. It was great for the figure but time he could spend with a beautiful woman instead… "And stop thinking lecherous thoughts!" Sango's voice cut into a rapidly growing daydream. "I swear, you've got more of your father in you than we know what to do with."

"I suppose you really can't beat him when you're his mother, can you, Sango?" Kagome giggled. "Then again, it never really worked on Miroku, so I guess you're out of luck."

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kouga rolled his eyes as InuYasha huffed, arms crossed, watching the women pile into one of the ranches many cars. Ayame blew her mate a kiss, and then proceeded to floor the pedal, laughing hysterically as they hit the road.

"C'mon, dog-breath. Don't get your panties in a twist. They'll be fine."

InuYasha turned his angry glare on his formal rival, snorting. "Yeah, fine. Until some youkai comes sniffing around those jewel shards."

"Do you doubt my wife's ability to keep her sister safe?" Miroku asked levelly, knowing InuYasha could hardly argue with the sentiments. Even as a human, Sango was considered the best hunter they had.

"It ain't like that, bouzo…" InuYasha's ancient nickname for Miroku stressed just how frustrated the hanyou was. Since Miroku had for the most part put aside that profession for his new job at the hospital specializing in youkai and human health, InuYasha had always been… well, not polite, but less grating. In fact, InuYasha's change in attitude had happened shortly after the well closed, when he had reluctantly begun tutelage under Sesshoumaru to take his place as beta. He ran his hand through his hair agitatedly, "I just… I want this shit over."

"I assume you're not just speaking of the Council?" Miroku questioned.

"Feh."

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Five hundred years old and you're _just_ as eloquent as the day we met."

"This _whole_ thing. Naraku… the jewel… everything." InuYasha shifted under Miroku's intense stare, face growing stonier as Miroku's grin grew more lecherous.

"Something happened." It wasn't a question.

'_Fucking lecher's too fucking observant!'_ InuYasha did his best to maintain his stoic silence under Miroku's knowing gaze.

"Something dealing with Kagome." InuYasha twitched but otherwise didn't respond.

"She _loves_ him," Kouga called out mockingly, dragging out the word "love" and sounding remarkably like an elementary school boy while he did so. "She said so last night."

Miroku looked askance at InuYasha, whose face was growing steadily more and more tomato-colored with each second. It looked as though the hanyou was torn between taking off and beating Kouga within an inch of his life.

"I would think this would be a happy occasion for you, InuYasha?" Miroku questioned, wondering at the hanyou's silence. "Surely this doesn't come as a surprise to you."

"Feh." InuYasha shifted again. "It's one thing to… t-to assume. It's different actually hearing it. It seems too real. I thought I mighta scared her away being…"

"A bastard? Yourself?" Kouga offered, having heard the story of how InuYasha treated Kagome once they'd met in the future.

InuYasha growled. "Anyway, it makes me nervous. Things are too easy… Naraku's gonna strike soon and it's going to be dangerous. I don't want her in his sights."

"Unfortunately, that will not happen, so long as Kagome holds her jewel shards. Don't worry over things you can't change. This Naraku will not strike until you least expect it, from what I've heard. And it will be less of a physical fight and more of a mind-fuck. Worry about things you _can_ try to deal with," Arata said, walking up from behind the guys. "Like me!" With that, she leapt at InuYasha, knocking him backwards of the porch and rolling to stand, claws at the ready.

"Damn it, Ara!" InuYasha came up cussing and growling, not having expected an attack from his sister. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Why aren't you with the girls?"

Arata shook her head, rolling her shoulders as her thick braid hit her back. "They're doing girly shit! Now get your fists up… or get my fists in your face!"

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Get your hand away from my face!"

"You have something near your eye!"

"It's eye-mask! I'm paying good money for it to be there!"

Sarah stifled her giggles as Ayame and Sango went back and forth, at ease with each other through centuries of friendship. Kagome squirmed a bit, somewhat jealous that her friend seemed to be getting along so well with the wolf princess. A moment later, she was disgusted with herself for the feeling. _'How can I be so shallow? I should be thankful that she had others to rely on through the years.'_

Shaking her head, Kagome focused on Sango, who had turned the topic of conversation to the Council once the ladies working on their shoulders and backs had left the room.

"Do you think you're ready?"

Kagome worried her bottom lip. "I hope so."

Ayame chimed in happily, "I'm sure you are! You're as knowledgeable as you can be! And that'll work really well in your favor!"

"I would feel better if I knew what to expect," Kagome admitted.

"Well, you'll know several people there. Grampa Shippou, Gramma Shinju and me will be representing the kitsune. Kouga, Ayame and Dai will be there for the ookami. Uncle Sesshoumaru, Aunt Tomomi and Arata will represent the inu packs. So you'll know at least a few of the members of the council.

Kagome cocked her head, confused. "You'll be there? And Arata? I thought InuYasha was Sesshoumaru's beta."

Sango nodded. "Well, yeah. But he's too close to the situation. I mean, you'd be his mate, right? So obviously he's going to say you're ready. So in cases like this, the Taisho calls a stand-in. Arata gets that position since she's been with the Pack almost as long as he has."

Kagome flushed at the word "mate", trying to turn her head so nobody could see, but moving too slowly.

"What happened?" Sango asked, worried, "Did that baka do something stupid again?"

Kagome shook her head quickly. "No! It's nothing like that. But… But I think I might have…"

The girls shared a look before turning back to the miko. "What did you do?" Sarah asked with a hushed voice.

"I… I t-told him…" Kagome buried her face in her hands, "I-told-him-I-love-him." She admitted, just as quickly as she had said the words the night before.

The girls squealed.

"That's fantastic!" Sango grinned, "Really?"

Ayame nodded, sporting a grin. "We heard it. You guys are just a room over, you know!" The bit of information made Kagome blush brighter.

"B-but… he didn't say anything!" She cried, kicking her feet together in frustration. "He just told me I should get some sleep and then crawled off the bed and over to the window!"

Three pairs of eyes blinked at her before Kagome realized her slip and flushed even brighter than she had been.

"Kagome?" Sango asked, looking much like the cat who'd eaten the canary, "What was InuYasha doing in your bed?"

Ayame chortled. "You mean besides her?!" The miko cringed, flushing as the memory of the feelings behind the kisses they'd shared washed over her again.

"We were just talking! And… and he kissed me, too."

Ayame wolf-whistled, making even Kagome giggle. "Ni-i-i-ice. I've heard he's _absolute heaven_ in bed, you'll have to tell me!" This drew a raised eyebrow from Kagome.

"Well, you didn't expect him to wait forever, did you, Kagome?" Sango asked, not unkindly, but knowing what was going through the younger girl's mind. "After all… he thought-"

"I know darn well what he thought! He thought I abandoned him! Here I was minding my own business, in fact, being told by even him that I wouldn't go through!" Kagome's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper as tears prickled her eyes. "I didn't want to believe Miroku when he said the well would close. If I had, I would have gone through sooner. But then again, I didn't really know about the talismans you guys had, either, or that InuYasha was going to give me one." Her voice hardened again, "Darn it! He's hot and then cold, ignoring me and then kissing me like… like…"

"Like he wants to have his way with you?" Sarah piped up slyly, grinning.

"Exactly! Ugh! He's so _frustrating!_" Taking a couple deep breaths, Kagome got herself under control once again. She wondered briefly why she'd been so easily agitated in the last month or so. It seemed like ever since high school had started, she'd been moody and too easily frustrated. It unsettled her; it wasn't the way she normally was. "But I love him anyway."

"Don't worry about it so much, Kagome. InuYasha loves you, too. You probably just caught him off guard, you know? He's older but in many ways, he's still the gruff, irritable hanyou you remember," Sango soothed.

Ayame agreed, adding, "And yes, he's had a few drunken jaunts here and there. But he never wanted anything really to do with them afterward; it was like he was embarrassed. I think deep down, nobody could compare to you." She smiled. "You've worked too hard not to get your own Happily Ever After."

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome jiggled her leg nervously, tapping her ankle against the wooden floor in a staccato beat. Sango shot her a sympathetic look as she walked into the Council Meeting. Each of her Pack members were being interviewed by the Taishos now that she'd shown what she could do. That in and of itself had Kagome biting her nails; she had no way of knowing if what she had done was enough, and was quite positive it wasn't. Just figuring out what skills to show off had been nerve-wracking.

'_I mean, really? What do I do? InuYasha always said I was useless; now it's my chance to prove him right, I guess…' Kagome trailed off, pacing agitatedly._

_From his seat on the floor, Shippou piped up. "Well, you can subdue InuYasha! That's always good for a laugh."_

_His mate, Shinju, rolled pearlescent eyes, though the smirk on her face betrayed her amusement. The two had arrived while the girls were at the spa. "Yeah, that'd go over real well with some of the more male-oriented groups. Kouga would laugh, sure. I'd find it hilarious, so would the swan flock. Heck, the Neko no Taisho would probably get a kick out of seeing an Inu slammed into the ground. But somehow I think her subduing him would give the wrong message."_

_Miroku nodded his agreement. "I can just imagine how the dragon clans would take it." The Chinese delegation was well-known for looking down on women. "They'd see it as the ultimate form of humiliation. No, you'll have to do something else, Kagome. You're the strongest miko I've ever met; perhaps you can do a bit of purification?"_

_Sango shook her head. "Somehow I doubt purifying the Council will really warm them up to her. Besides, youkai and miko are generally enemies as a rule, not to mention those who already oppose the inu packs. I'm pretty sure demonstrating we have the world's most powerful miko just itching to join up isn't going to ingratiate her with many people."_

_Tsukiyoshi stepped into the conversation. "Well, not them. She's purified my poison before, she can do so again. It'll show her control over her powers, her ability to purify a specific type of youki without affecting others."_

"_She can do great barriers, too, that protect even youkai," Sarah chimed in. "Kagome, you really have to demonstrate that! And you can heal even youkai a little bit. I'll have Tsukiyoshi scratch me and use a little poison, so my healing powers won't kick in as quickly. Then you can show you can purify _and_ heal at the same time, without hurting me." Kagome opened her mouth to protest, "Oh, and don't think you can stop us. Tsukiyoshi's gonna hurt me whether you agree or not." She shifted, as amber eyes narrowed on her, "Apparently he's less than impressed with realizing I put all his underwear in the deep freezer…"_

_Shippou snorted, pleased with his granddaughter's antics. "Just like we taught you, eh, Sarah? So yeah, Kagome, think of it this way. Sarah's like InuYasha – throwing herself into stupid, dangerous situations. Now you have to get her out of them!"_

"_Gee, thanks," InuYasha said dryly from his corner, arms crossed and looking none-too-pleased with the comparison. "I'm glad you have such a high opinion of me, Shippou."_

Everything had gone as well as Kagome could have hoped. She didn't purify anybody or anything she didn't mean to, and her healing skills were on par with what they'd been when she left the Sengoku Jidai for the last time. Then she'd been interrogated, asked to recall things about the battle with Naraku and her own history. _'I don't think many of them believed the story until now,'_ Kagome thought grumpily of the leader of the Dragon Youkai, who'd looked as though he wanted to smite her where she stood. _'I didn't _mean_ to break the jewel. Heck, I didn't even mean to go to the past! I was pulled there by dumb Mistress Centipede!'_

Now, each Pack member with her was being questioned one-by-one, much as she had been. InuYasha had gone first; he emerged blushing and refusing to look anybody in the eye. Miroku went next, and came out smiling. Now was Sango's turn. Tsukiyoshi had told her earlier that he and others would give their opinions when the Council broke for conversation.

Kagome was so lost in thought she didn't hear Sango enter the side room until the woman was standing in front of her. "Are you okay, Kagome? You seem pale." Kagome looked up, realized she'd been holding her breath, and let it out slowly. "Maybe you need some fresh air," Sango suggested, hauling the girl to her feet. "Let's go outside while the Council breaks for discussion."

Miroku and InuYasha fell into step with Sango and Kagome, stepping out of Kouga's huge farmhouse to enjoy the brisk night. The wind caressed Kagome's face, cooling the sweat on her brow as she raised her head to gaze at the stars. The view never got old. Just when she thought she'd be able to relax, a small pang shot through Kagome's body, originating in her chest. She gasped, looking around, wary. It was a familiar feeling… one she hadn't felt in months, though.

Two masculine arms snaked their way around her waist, pulling her backwards into a hard chest. "Oi, you okay?" InuYasha's voice was filled with concern. "You're trembling."

'_I hadn't even noticed,' _Kagome thought. _'Something feels… wrong.'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	23. Chapter 22: Denial

Pack Law

Chapter 22: Denial

Something pulsed in Kagome's soul. _'Something's coming…' _Spinning InuYasha with her, Kagome put his back to the wind, looking into the dark tree-line for a sign of movement.

"Kagome?" Sango questioned, "What's wrong?"

"There's something out there. Something's… off. N-not right. Can't you feel it?" Kagome turned to Miroku, whose forehead was wrinkled in thought as he nodded.

"It's not strong, but you're right… something strange is there."

InuYasha unwrapped his arms from Kagome, cursing the direction of the wind. "I'll go take a look." As he moved to hop into the nearest tree, Miroku extended his staff and Sango readied one of her guns, prepared for anything. Slipping on her ring, Kagome was suddenly accosted with the blue-lavender aura she'd come to associate with sorrow. Like a cloud, it was seeping closer…

"InuYasha, wait!" The pang shot through her again, stronger, and she thought she knew…

'_But she's dead and gone. Five hundred years ago…'_

The hanyou dropped from his tree behind a tall, blonde youkai woman. "Who are you and what do you want?"

The woman couldn't respond, though. The moment she laid eyes on Kagome, her hands flew to her head, trying to deal with the onslaught of images rushing through her brain. She fell to her knees, groaning.

'_It hurts! Why? Why doesn't it hurt to look at her?'_ She hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud until the girl came closer.

"Stay back!" _The girl in a sailor outfit… a school-girl uniform she'd seen in passing online. Herself in miko robes, firing a bow… white snake-like youkai hovering nearby… sorrow… pain… a sense of longing…_ She finally fought off the torrent of emotions and pictures, forcing herself to her feet. _'I am stronger than this!'_ "You, child-miko. You have something that belongs to me!" She extended her arm imperiously, claws flashing dangerously in the moonlight.

"Child-miko? Excuse me?" Kagome was taken aback.

"What exactly does Kagome have that could possibly belong to you?" Sango asked, weapon trained on the unknown youkai.

The woman drew herself to her full height, tossing her hair over her shoulders. "I suppose I do owe you an introduction. I am Chiaki; more commonly known as Ki. You stole the Shikon no Tama from me, girl, and you will return it!"

Kagome blinked. "I didn't steal the Shikon from anybody! It was supposedly in me when I was born!"

_Searing heat, crackling flames…_ "You lie! My master warned me of your trickery… your lies. He told me the Shikon is mine to control, was mine until you stole it away."

"Just who is your master?" Miroku stepped forward, holding a warning hand out to the group.

"Naraku," InuYasha growled from behind Ki. "I can smell him on her." Ki fought the urge to whirl around, refusing to put more people behind her than in front of her. It would be difficult to fend off the inu-hanyou behind her, but harder to dodge a bullet she couldn't see.

Sango cocked her gun, glaring coldly at Ki. "Then nobody will mind if I wipe her off the earth? She isn't just another youkai after the shards… she's Naraku's spawn."

Kagome shook her head. "Wait, Sango." She turned back to Ki, who was glaring coldly at her still. "Why are you so sad? And why… w-why do you feel so familiar? It's like my soul is speaking with yours…"

Panic flared in Ki's eyes. _'This child… she feels it too? How can this be? How do I know these people? Did I know them before I was made youkai?'_

"Keh. You don't know this wench… I ain't never smelled her on you before." InuYasha's voice was gruff, betraying his statement. _'Kagome doesn't smell like she's lying. Why would she say she knows this youkai?'_ His hand itched for Tetsusaiga, to take out the person who may be a threat to his now-officially-named mate. But Ki was in between him and the farmhouse. He was positive the Taisho Council would be royally pissed if he were to blow up the building they were in.

Thinking, InuYasha was caught off guard as Ki leapt forward, arm outstretched, to catch Kagome by the chain around her neck. "Give me the shards!" Her demand was cut short as she gazed at the chunk of jewel, slowly turning black. "Why? Why does my touch taint them if I used to be their owner?"

Kagome, gazing over Ki's shoulder, scrunched her eyes shut, throwing up a barrier and burning the unknown youkai away from her. A moment later, InuYasha stood between the two women.

At her first full glance at the hanyou, Ki's eyes glazed again, shone with tears. "_Why?!_ How do I know you? Why do I love you and yet hate you?" She cried out, overwhelmed, confused.

'_Kill them, Chiaki. Kill them and take the jewel for yourself!'_ Naraku's voice echoed through her head. But she couldn't kill these people… not yet. Maybe they knew something about who she used to be. Maybe they had the key to bringing back her past life. None of the questions had seemed pressing until seeing them; now, she needed to know.

Unsure of what else to do, but knowing the path behind her was clear, Ki turned on her heel and ran.

'_What the fuck?'_ InuYasha blinked, mystified by the strange youkai's even stranger behavior. He didn't like being confused. He didn't like not knowing what was going on. So he settled on things he could understand; that youkai woman was after the jewel shards, obviously hated Kagome, and had some sort of connection to Naraku. And she was getting away. _'Screw this shit.'_ Slamming Tetsusaiga into its sheath, he crouched, preparing to leap into the trees, chase this Ki down and demand answers.

"Wait, InuYasha." Kagome's voice stilled him. "I don't think we have anything to worry about right now."

InuYasha raised an eyebrow. "Is your brain fucking broken? There's a youkai working for Naraku who got close enough to grab you by the fucking neck and yet you don't think she's a PROBLEM?" His voice rose steadily throughout the sentence, until he was all but yelling at her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I-I… I… I don't know." Kagome gulped at the murderous expression in InuYasha's eyes. She knew it wasn't aimed at her, but at Ki. Each moment she stalled him, his eyes grew darker. _'How am I supposed to convince him not to go after her when I don't even know why I'm stopping him?'_ She took a deep breath. "I understand that we can't just let her escape, especially if she's working for Naraku. But something tells me… she can be…"

"Trusted?" InuYasha spat, beyond pissed at the ludicrous idea. "You trust her?"

"No!" she cried in response. "I don't trust her! But she feels… familiar, somehow. Something's telling me we know her. I don't think she wants to hurt us right now! She's confused and probably trying to find out answers. Right now, we have other things to worry about."

"Fuck this shit," InuYasha growled, turning on his heel and striding toward the forest. Sango shrugged at Kagome, unsure of what to think or say. Miroku appeared deep in thought but wasn't about to jump in front of a murderous hanyou and raise his ire any further. InuYasha made it about halfway before a familiar voice floated from the doorway.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? The Council is ready to see you," Arata called, halting InuYasha in his tracks. Letting out a string of curses strong enough to peel paint, he clenched his fists. "They'll get pissy if you're late, little brother," Arata chided.

Anxiety colored Kagome's scent, flowed to InuYasha on the wind and made him cringe. In a heart-beat, he was back by her side, shoving thoughts of Ki's strange behavior out of his head in his haste to reassure Kagome. "You'll be fine, wench," he muttered, daring to hold her close for a moment.

'_What if they don't let me in? Will InuYasha and everybody give up on me?'_ Kagome took the moment to bury her face into InuYasha's chest. He clutched her closer, feeling tension seep out of her just a bit. _'This is where I'm safest. InuYasha protects me… what if he can't do that anymore?'_

"Let's go, guys." Miroku motioned toward the building, falling behind InuYasha with Sango in a sign of support.

OoO**OoO**OoO

As they walked into the large room in the center of Kouga's den, Kagome searched out those she knew. As usual, she couldn't discern the expression on Sesshoumaru's face. Next to him, Shippou looked upset. _'That can't be good…'_ Kagome gulped, trying to clamp down on her nerves, knowing they'd be apparent to every youkai in the room.

As they reached the middle of the room, the foursome turned to face the neko youkai who'd been chosen to lead the council that year. He raised his head, glowing eyes narrowing on the girl in front of him.

"Kagome Higurashi," the neko said loudly, quieting the low murmur that'd been going on even as she and her friends walked into the room. "The Council has spoken on your request to join the inu pack. We have seen what you have to offer the youkai community at large and heard from your pack members what they feel you could bring to the pack as an alpha female." Kagome felt her cheeks heat at the insinuation but refused to tear her eyes away. "You hold vast amounts of spiritual power and it is our belief that you will be an amazing addition to the pack."

"However," the dragon youkai next to the neko broke in, voice heavy with condemnation, "you are not of proper human age to receive a talisman. We set these rules for a specific reason; a human body is much weaker than ours and yours, for all your power, is not an exception to this. Your body must be given time to reach maturity before your growth is hampered by a talisman, am I not correct?" His pleasure in imparting this news sparkled in his black eyes, though very little seeped into his voice. "In fact, I move that the Council strip you of the chunk of Shikon no Tama you carry."

Kagome's eyes widened impossibly far at the suggestion; she grasped the jewel as she looked around the room. Different youkai were reacting in various ways; the raised voices at the dragon youkai's proposal began to grate on her already stretched-to-the-limit nerves. Behind her, InuYasha shifted at the spike of her nervousness. He could never be comfortable if she was not.

The dragon's voice raised above the racket, silencing the group. "I do not say this in hopes of gaining power, my friends. I am simply concerned about our young miko here, and worried for all of our fates," Kagome barely repressed a shudder. She didn't like this man, not one bit. "After all, she admits she has shattered the jewel twice now. What's to keep her from making a similar mistake this time? Spreading fragments of the Shikon throughout an area is dangerous to the secrecy we've held for so long." More murmuring drifted from the group. InuYasha's arms tightened around Kagome, who could feel his rage as though it was her own. She focused on forcing soothing waves into her aura, hoping to calm him and keep him from making a scene.

Miroku stepped forward. "With all due respect, Taisho-sama, it is unfair to judge Kagome for deeds committed 500 years ago."

"Centuriessss ago perhapssss for usssss, but we have heard thissss young miko is from thissss era," the Taisho of Serpents hissed from behind them. "'Tissss only a year ago the adventure occurred in her reality…"

"That may be true," Kouga spoke up, "But this still happened ages ago. I move to strike the proposal from the record unless greater cause can be given."

"But I can," the dragon said oily. "The miko who held the jewel before young Kagome died protecting it, did she not? Have we not been told the youkai who cut her down is once again after those shards?"

A low growl broke from InuYasha's throat the moment the youkai brought up Kikyou. "That won't happen to Kagome," he spat, angered, "I refuse to let this happen. I… we will protect her."

"You trust a miko to protect a jewel of such power?" The dragon youkai feigned confusion.

InuYasha's voice was low, gravelly as he responded. "You know I do. We all know it. She's the only one who can keep it pure."

Miroku nodded, adding, "Even a youkai with the greatest intentions will eventually be swayed by the jyaki of the Shikon."

"Prove it," the dragon commanded. InuYasha locked eyes with Kagome, nodding slowly and indicating for her to remove the jewel. Sesshoumaru stepped forward, holding out a hand imperiously. Wincing as she did so, Kagome placed the shards on his palm. They immediately began to swirl with a dark purple, power growing as Kagome stepped away. Sesshoumaru growled, shoving the artifact back at her. As it touched her fingers, the jewel glowed brightly. The dragon sighed. "Fine. You've made your point."

The neko cleared her throat. "Kagome may remain with you. In fact, I recommend she be near a youkai at all times for her protection. If there is no more business before the Council, we will depart." She waited a beat. When nobody spoke up, she nodded and began to move toward the door. Friends began to converse among themselves. Kagome hung her head, refusing to allow herself to tear up, but feeling as though she'd failed her friends.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome gasped, shooting to a sitting position, as lightning struck somewhere nearby, thunder ripping loudly through the silence. The flash briefly lit up InuYasha's form, once again sitting quietly under the window. _'My silent protector,'_ Kagome mused softly. She lifted her gaze to the window; the heavy rain pounded on the glass. She sighed. _'At least the weather matches my mood.'_

InuYasha hadn't said a word as the pack got ready to sleep, breaking off to various rooms after wishing each other "sweet dreams." He'd simply watched, silent, as Kagome slipped under the covers and turned off the lamp near the bed. Lowering her eyes again, Kagome realized once again his golden eyes were focused on her. The intensity was enough to send a shiver down her spine. _'I wonder what he's thinking about.'_

'_I can't believe that youkai wench got so close to Kagome. I'm getting too weak if she's in such obvious danger as she was tonight. And now, thanks to that dragon asshole, we don't have the Council to rely on.'_ The thought brought a frown to InuYasha's face. _'Feh. Fuck 'em. If the bastards don't want to help, it'll be on their hides if Naraku goes after them.'_ He was still seething at the insinuation that he couldn't keep Kagome safe.

"You okay?" Though she was whispering, he heard her as clearly as if she were right next to him. "You look really uncomfortable all scrunched up by the wall," she teased lightly, trying to ease the tension.

"Keh. I'm fine, wench. You should be sleeping, though. We leave tomorrow."

"We're going back to Japan?" Kagome was shocked, though she wasn't sure why.

His reply confirmed her suspicious. "Ain't no reason to hang around now, wench. You've gotten all the knowledge you need. You were here to learn Pack Law. Now you know it, but it ain't gonna do a damn bit o' good."

Kagome worried her bottom lip. "I'm sorry," she muttered. Her scent was laced with shame, drawing InuYasha closer.

"Hey," he said softly, grabbing her chin and lifting her face so he could look at her. He smelled the tears before they managed to fall and it reminded him, again, just how much he hated to see her cry. "It's not your fault, don't blame yourself. The Council's a bunch of stuck-up assholes, all self-important like my bastard brother. What matters is you're coming home with me, where I'll be able to keep you safe."

Kagome nodded as a few tears finally gave way and rolled down her cheeks. With a softness she rarely saw in him, InuYasha reached up to brush them away with his thumbs. "Oi, no crying wench…" his voice held none of its usual gruffness.

"You're not going to leave me, are you?" Kagome questioned, shivering a bit. "You're not mad at me?"

"Keh," InuYasha shifted to sit behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist after pulling the blanket up higher. "I ain't mad. I'm pissed at the Council… I'm thinking about how I'm going to kill Naraku and make sure you're always safe. Why would I be mad at you?"

"B-because I…" Kagome gulped, realizing she didn't want to share the real reason. _'What if he's not mad that I told him I love him? What if he just doesn't feel the same way?'_ She recalled Ayame's words at the spa: _'I've heard he's _absolute heaven_ in bed, you'll have to tell me!'_ Even Sango had said it so matter-of-factly… _'You didn't expect him to wait forever, did you, Kagome? After all… he thought-'_ Kagome sighed, fighting the urge to lean back in his arms to his warmth. _'Don't think about it… yeah, right. What's not to think about? The man I love is five hundred years older than when I met him a year ago… he's more experienced, now. He's been with _real_ women…and I'm just a kid in comparison. He's not holding me because he wants me. He's holding me because he hates to see me cry.'_

Noticing the girl had fallen into thought – painful, sad thoughts if her scent was any indication… and it always was, damn it – InuYasha wiggled his arms a bit to get her attention. "Kagome?" She jerked back to the here-and-now. "What were you going to say?"

Kagome wracked her brain. _'I can't tell him what I'm really thinking…'_ "W-well… you know, because you were so mad at me before. Before I came here and when I started school..." she trailed off, not sure where to take that.

InuYasha closed his eyes, remembering painfully the harsh words he'd thrown at her in his anger. _'How the hell can she say she loves me when I treat her like dirt? I've _always _done it, damn it… I don't deserve her. Kami-sama knows I've always doubted her, even though she's been nothing but loyal to me… and I repay her by going off with all those other bitches…' _"Feh… I wasn't mad at you." She twisted around, giving him a look that clearly stated she didn't believe him. "Well, fine. I was. Sneaky wench. But I shouldn't have been." It pained him to say the next sentence, "I-I… was w-wrong, bitch, and shouldn't have taken it out on you. I was the dumbass who broke the damn well." His rather reluctant admission brought a sunny smile to her face.

"I just… I hated living all those years without you. I swore I'd be alone the rest of my life." He suddenly recalled her attitude last night when he hadn't responded to her admission. "And for what it's worth… I mean, last night and all…" Kagome tensed in his arms. He gulped, leaning forward and putting his mouth near her ear. "You too, wench."

OoO**OoO**OoO

Her breath came in heavy, harsh pants as she finally slowed, realizing nobody had given chase.

'_Why? Why didn't they come after me?'_ After the encounter with the group of people her master had hunted for centuries, Chiaki was completely out of sorts. _'How can I love somebody I don't ever remember meeting? What was my history before this life?'_ Just as she'd known all along she was not always youkai, just as she'd known she'd lived a previous life, she knew she'd met that particular group before. The emotions they'd raised in her frightened her in their intensity. Hatred, sorrow, love, longing… even need to the point of obsession.

'_I need answers. My master has been kind thus far. There is no reason why he will not provide me with the answers I seek.'_ She reached out with her youki, searching the dark until she felt his ominous barrier. She moved toward it and none too soon; as she stepped within its stifling confines, she heard rain begin to patter above her.

"Beautiful Chiaki… you _disappoint_ me…" Naraku's oily voice gave her pause. She'd never quite heard that tone from him before. She gazed at him. Weeks of solitude had given him the power to take a wispy form again. "Why did you not do as I ordered you?"

Ki lifted her head, refusing to bow. She was a youkai of the earth! She created life and could take it just as easily. He had no business questioning her when she herself was searching for answers!

"Master Naraku, tell me. When I laid eyes on the dangerous miko you sent me to slay, I had expected to meet a venerable woman. Instead, she's a child! How is that child dangerous to you?"

Naraku's eyes narrowed. "Are you questioning my judgment, dear Ki? Even you should have been able to feel the power welling up around that girl. She is virtually untrained and thus very dangerous, as she is not afraid of over-extending herself past her limits. Though such a move would be fatal to her; it could be deadly to us, as well. But you _failed_ me. I told you to kill them. I told you to bring me the Shikon!" His voice was growing louder, echoing in the bubble he'd created. "Yet there is no sign of blood on your hands! You bear no jewel! You would betray ME?"

Ki hung her head, unwilling to meet the anger in his gaze. She _had_ been unfaithful, had wavered in her loyalty to a man who'd shown her nothing but kindness. "I am sorry, master. I was unable to deal with the confusion my mind was in after meeting them and fled," the last part came out as a hoarse, ashamed whisper.

Naraku sighed, not unkindly, and reached out to caress Ki's cheek with his mostly non-existent hand. "I shall forgive you this time. Perhaps next time, and there WILL be a next time, you will be less inclined to ignore my orders. I did not want to do this, but I will share some information with you. Do you know how you came to be?"

Ki shook her head. "No, master. I do not believe I was youkai before I lived with you…"

Naraku nodded. "Indeed, you were not. You were human. I knew you hundreds of years ago, Ki, when we were in love. Before you came to be with me, you loved the hanyou. But he betrayed you. He went off with the girl, Kagome, who trapped you in a false existence and stole most of your soul. She took the jewel from you and shattered it rather than give you the jewel back. She knew with its powers, you would gain your full soul back. In fact, both the hanyou InuYasha and Kagome tried to kill you. In the end, though I tried to save your life, you slipped away. And now, I have returned you to your existence, stronger than before. You owe me your life and your soul, Chiaki."

Ki was silent, contemplating all he'd said. If they'd known each other hundreds of years ago, why was she just now living as a youkai? How did he find her? What was his plan? Ki knew there was something she wasn't being told… but she also knew that she hated Kagome, hated InuYasha… she swore then to kill them and regain the Shikon's power. Perhaps with that power, her master would assist her in regaining the rest of her memories.

"Now, go sleep. We are leaving for Japan tomorrow. The Council will dis-band tonight and our prey will be out of reach."

With a sweep of her hand, Ki created a comfortable hollow in which to bed down for the night. If her master said they'd be leaving the next day, they most certainly would be up early and she wished to sleep properly beforehand. Youkai themselves did not require much sleep; she assumed the comfort she gained from such an act was a remnant from her previous life.

_That hanyou, InuYasha… he was holding her, arms wrapped tightly around her. He was wearing a rough fur jacket of some sort, loose and scratchy against her skin. She knew it had to be scratchy… but the touch of it felt diminished, as though her sense of touch wasn't quite up to par. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, began to crack around her. Glowing lights grew and they began to sink toward an area of great heat._

'_Hell! He's trying to take me to hell!' Ki was trapped in his arms; she vaguely realized her arms were around him, too. She couldn't move! He must have put her under some sort of spell…_

"_Ki-!" That girl… the child-miko. She was against a tree, with serpents hovering around her. She was shouting something… Ki couldn't make it out past the rumble of rock around her._

'_Wait… that child is a miko! These balls around me… creating the spell… they are spiritually based! Is she the one trying to send me to hell? Does she command those creatures?' The child-miko let out a harsh scream for the hanyou in her arms. Suddenly his head snapped up to look at the other girl. He leapt to her side, leaving Ki in the gaping tunnel they'd begun to form to Hell. Tears inexplicably pricked her eyes, she wiped them quickly._

_Before she knew what was happening, the child-miko's serpents were carrying her away… and Ki wondered 'Why? What did I do to deserve this treatment?'_

Ki woke up, gasping, clutching her chest and almost expecting to find herself hovering in the air.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Here y'are!" Dai grinned at Kagome and Sarah, handing the kitsune hanyou's bags to one of the attendants on Sesshoumaru's private jet. "Hope y'all had a hell o' a time." Sarah nodded quickly.

"It was awesome, wasn't it, Kagome?" Kagome agreed with her friend, making sure to thank Kouga and Ayame as well for their hospitality.

"You're never a problem, Kagome," Kouga said seriously, again taking Kagome's hands in his. "If there's ever anything we can do for you, don't hesitate to let us know. And if dog-shit here gives you any problems," he continued over InuYasha's rising growls, "you're welcome with us. As you saw, we have plenty of room, and Dai's still available." Sarah's higher-pitched growl joined InuYasha's.

Kagome bit back a sigh, disentangling her hands from Kouga's. "My family is in Japan, Kouga, you know that. But thank you, anyway."

An hour later, they were in the sky, preparing to cross the Pacific. Kagome leaned back in her seat, a bit awed by the comfort and glamour the interior of the plane exuded. _'Then again,'_ she thought wryly, _'this _is_ one of Sesshoumaru's planes. Only perfection for somebody like him, right?'_ She waved her hand as an attendant asked in she wanted anything. The only thing she wanted that moment was to snuggle up in the extra-fluffy seat (_'More like a recliner!' _ Kagome had thought, staring at them in awe) and sleep until they landed.

"Oi, wench," InuYasha called, making his way across the cabin. Apparently her nap was just not meant to be… "I forgot to tell you before, but your mom's getting out of the hospital. Sesshoumaru's men finished on the house and the shrine last week; we furnished it and they'll be moving back in this week. We'll have people watching the shrine to make sure nothing gets at them."

Kagome's faced lit up, visions of her old bedroom dancing in her head. "That's great," she exclaimed, completely honest. "I miss them so much…" Her smile drooped a bit as she remembered her brother was still in the hospital, and knew that if InuYasha hadn't said anything, he was probably still in a coma. It appeared he'd gotten a stronger dose of the miasma, having been not even a foot away from where Naraku had formed. "It'll be nice for things to go back to as normal as they can be," Kagome continued. "Living with Mama, going to school, seeing my other friends again…"

'_It's kind of weird being around InuYasha, Sango and Miroku,'_ Kagome thought, feeling somewhat guilty, _'But I can't help it. It's like they moved on without me. I guess I never really thought about it before, back when I was going back and forth between worlds.'_ Kagome was pulled from her thoughts by InuYasha's voice, which had steadily grown louder as he realized she wasn't listening.

"Wench! I'm fucking talking to you!" All eyes were on the duo at this point, and Kagome responded with her usual reaction, refusing to back down in front of everybody.

"And I was thinking! Just because you usually don't doesn't mean the rest of us have the luxury!"

InuYasha's eyes went wide, not expecting her to fire back at him so harshly. It grated on his nerves, but he fought the instinct to discipline the wench. "I _said_," he choked out through bitterly clenched teeth, "that you're not going back to live with your family."

"Excuse me?" Kagome gaped. Sure, he'd kept her in the Sengoku Jidai for weeks on end… but this was different. "_Excuse me?! _Just where do you think I'll be staying?"

"Feh, at the den, of course." InuYasha knew from Kagome's tone that she was rather less than impressed at his statement. In fact, he was standing on shaky ground and was quite aware of it. But this was something he was not about to back down on. Kagome blinked, apparently astonished beyond words at his proclamation. He took advantage of her silence and pressed the point. "You ain't going back to the shrine with the shards. It's not safe for you and it's not safe for your family. Hell, I wouldn't fucking let you go to school if I didn't know Tsukiyoshi, Hitomu and Sarah would be there."

"Let?!" Kagome shrieked, much to the dismay of the youkai on the plane. "What do you mean _let_ me? Who are you to tell me what to do? In fact, who are you to tell me where I'm going to live?" Only the knowledge that they were over pure, uninterrupted ocean kept Kagome from slamming InuYasha through the floor of the plane. She wanted to mutilate him, not kill him.

Seeing things escalate, and realizing that InuYasha was unnervingly close to losing it in an enclosed tube several miles above the ocean, Miroku intervened. "Kagome," he interrupted calmly, "Remember that the Council wished for you to be near a youkai at all times, to help protect the jewel-"

Kagome scoffed, a rather un-Kagome-like action, "That same Council tried to take the jewel away from me! Are you going to listen to them, too?" Internally, she wondered where her sarcasm was coming from. Certainly, she'd always had a fiery temper, to which dozens of InuYasha-shaped craters across the domain of Musashi could be attributed, but she'd never quite had this sort of attitude. Heck, she was acting almost like InuYasha!

Miroku cringed, realizing that the miko was quite a force to be reckoned with at the moment. He turned a pleading glance to Hitomu, who looked back at his book, whistling as though he hadn't heard a word of the argument, and then to Sango, who took pity on him.

Sango stood, walking slowly over to her distraught sister. "Kagome, most of the Council thought it was a horrible idea to take the jewel away, especially when we proved that only you can keep it safe. But just like you protect the jewel… it's our job to protect _you._ We want to keep you safe, so you can grow older and become a member of our pack."

Kagome turned to Sango, an anxious expression on her face. Sango's heart nearly broke. "I know you miss your family. But… but you're _our_ family, too. I don't care what the Council says. You're one of us. You helped all of us when we needed it. Now let us help you."

Kagome sighed, lowering her head in acquiescence but obviously not liking it one bit. "Fine," she bit out, feeling InuYasha's triumphant smirk and refusing to acknowledge it. "You are all _older_ and _wiser_ than I am, who am I to know what's good for me?" She inwardly marveled at the sarcasm absolutely _dripping_ from the statement… and then felt _incredibly_ guilty as Sango pulled her hand off her shoulder as though burned. _'What is wrong with me?'_ Kagome wanted to cry.

"Wench…" InuYasha's voice was hesitant, making her feel even worse. Obviously her bad attitude was affecting him, as well. _'Well, at least he isn't bragging about winning,'_ she thought meanly, once again feeling guilty for thinking that way. He just wanted to keep her safe, right? So why was she lashing out at them? "It… it ain't that we don't want you to see your family. You just… you shouldn't be staying there. Not yet. You don't want them in any more danger, do you? We'll still take you to see them," he offered.

Feeling weary, unwilling to argue anymore, Kagome sighed and nodded. She refused to look up. She knew – _she just knew_ – his ears would be flat against his head in a sign of absolute dejection, and she felt guilty enough as it was.

The rest of the plane ride was silent. Laying down, burying her face and stifling her tears in a pillow, one thought echoed in Kagome's mind. _'What is wrong with me?'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome stifled a yawn as her math teacher droned on. Taking a few notes, she angled her head to the side, grinning at Hitomu, who was nodding off over his book to her right. They'd been up late the night before practicing for their choir performance; the group had missed everybody else and only given a few days to catch up. The practice had paid off; Kagome was sure they'd be given a passing grade. Now, they were starting to focus on popular American music genres; Sarah had been thrilled and swore to play as much of it as possible for them in the coming days.

Four seats ahead of her, Tsukiyoshi looked completely calm and unflappable. _'Figures. Youkai stamina, he probably doesn't need to sleep at all.'_ Kagome recalled the times InuYasha would stay awake, late into the night, obviously much later than the rest of them, if he fell asleep at all. Even then, he'd be the first awake, chivvying everybody else into "getting on the road". She forced those thoughts out of her head quickly. Though he was going out of his way to be nice and helpful to Kagome (which almost scared her as it was), she couldn't help the flash of irritation that accompanied thoughts of him recently.

Kagome was interrupted from her musings by the creak of the door, and swiveled in her seat with much of the rest of the class to see a tall blonde youkai enter. Kagome gasped. _'Chiaki…'_ A look to Tsukiyoshi and Hitomu confirmed their suspicions – this was the mysterious youkai she, InuYasha, Sango and Miroku had encountered outside the Council meeting. Removing her ring for a moment, Kagome saw what most everybody else did: a young woman of the same height with black, wavy hair and dark brown eyes. Kagome gulped. _'If I didn't know I was Kikyou's reincarnation, I might think-'_

Her sensei looked up, having read the note in the new girl's hand. "Students, this is Onigumo Chiaki. Let us welcome her warmly to our school. Now, it says here she is quite familiar with Higurashi Kagome. Chiaki, there's a seat open next to her, why don't you sit there? Kagome, I expect you to show your friend around the next few days."

Eyes wide, Kagome nonetheless nodded, making sure her ring was again secure on her finger and being sure to tuck the jewel as far down her shirt as the chain would allow.

Chiaki sat, smiling demurely over Kagome's shoulder at Hitomu before turning a rather evil-looking (in Kagome's estimation) smirk at the girl. "Gee, Kagome, I certainly hope we can be friends…"

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Ki's nightmare is based on manga chapters 76 & 77.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	24. Chapter 23: Uncomfortable

Pack Law

Chapter 23: Uncomfortable

Kagome kicked her feet in the air, rolling back on her bed and staring at the clock. "Where _is_ he?" She briefly wondered if this is how InuYasha had felt, waiting for her to come home from school or to get back to the past.

Sarah wrinkled her nose from her seat in the corner of the room, chuckling a bit at Kagome's irritation. Kagome lifted her head to level a glare at the girl. From Sarah's reaction, her look was more comical than intimidating. Frustrated, she gazed around the room. As far as rooms went, it was rather nice – much nicer than she was used to. She had wondered if InuYasha (or Miroku, more likely) was trying to make up for keeping her at the den as much as possible. She'd been allowed to paint the room and decorate it as she liked; she'd enjoyed the shopping trip with Sango, who was rather fashionable and refused to allow Kagome to pick out cheaper items.

'_Still,'_ Kagome sighed, _'I'd trade all of this to be able to go wherever I want when I want!'_ She'd been expressly forbidden by Sesshoumaru himself from leaving the den without one of "the adult pack members." She wasn't even allowed to go out with one of the hunters or guards! _'It's all because of the stupid jewel. No wonder Kikyou wanted to get rid of it.'_ Kagome gasped as she realized what she had thought. _'Kami-sama! No! No! I'm not her! I don't want to get rid of it to be normal… I don't want to use it for something like making InuYasha human! I just don't want people in danger anymore…'_

Kagome groaned, burying her head in her hands. Across the room, Sarah shifted on the beanbag, tilting her head and wondering what had Kagome down… besides the whole "alpha dog" display InuYasha had been pulling recently on her, of course. Maybe talking about InuYasha was a bad idea.

"So," Sarah brought up slyly, a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin on her face, "what are you and Hitomu doing Friday night?"

Kagome smiled, looking up. "You heard about that, huh?"

"He may have mentioned something. All panicky-like, of course. He wanted to know where he should take you."

"I think we'll just do food and a movie." Kagome was excited to be doing something normal for a girl her age.

Sarah sighed. _'Distraction complete… now she's not worrying about where InuYasha is or being late to see her family. Too bad I have to ruin it now. If I don't mention it, though, Grampa will be soooo mad…'_

"You know," Sarah drawled, filing her claws carefully, "Uncle Yasha's going to be really pissed off. You're not supposed to leave here without one of the adult pack members."

"I know. Sango's coming along with us," Kagome said with an eye-roll. It really wasn't that she didn't want Sango coming along, and she could understand why. But _really_, did she need to be babysat all the time? Didn't she just spend three weeks in America honing her skills? Why not let her use them?

Sarah puffed out her cheeks, pushing out the air quickly. "Well, at least Uncle Yasha will be pissed at her. Maybe he'll be too distracted to be mad at you. I mean, after what he said at the Council and everything…" she trailed off, remembering that Kagome had been out of the room for that particular conversation.

Luckily, Kagome didn't take the bait. "What, that he'd protect me?" She sighed. "He's always said that. But he's not my father, even if he is old enough to be my Jii-chan's Jii-chan."

Sarah cringed. "Ouch." _'That doesn't bode well for either of them… He may be older but he only looks a year or two older than when she knew him, according to Sango.'_ She thought for a moment, trying to word her question to arouse the least bit of suspicion. "Does his age really bother you that much? I mean, wasn't he already pretty old when you met him?"

Kagome sighed, rolling back onto her stomach and putting her chin on a hand. The other hand began toying with the ring on its chain around her neck. She'd become so accustomed to most of the youki in the building she didn't even flinch when one came into her sensing range. "I always knew he was older than me… but that was different. He spent so much of that time alone, you know? I mean, sure - by the time I met him, he'd already been in love once, and had his heart broken. But it's different… I feel like we really grew together when we were searching for jewel shards. It's like, I had that year to get to know him. Now, he and Sango and Miroku are all… they're older, they have new friends, they've had five centuries of… experience," the face Kagome made as she said the word told Sarah _exactly_ what Kagome was talking about. The miko continued, "Compared to them, well… I'm just a kid. They're all adults, they're… different."

Sarah shook her head. "I think you're over-thinking this, Kagome. They're older, yeah, but deep down, they're the same people you knew. People don't change _that_ much, do they?"

Kagome groaned, rolling over again. "I don't know! I'm so confused. Half the time I feel like everything's the same. Then Sango whips out a wallet of credit cards and InuYasha's wearing brand-name suits and being polite and caring and Miroku's being well-behaved even when surrounded by beautiful women!"

Her voice lowered to a whisper, but she knew Sarah would hear it, "They've all lived through things I can't imagine. I didn't grow with them at all. Sometimes I feel more comfortable around you and Hitomu and Tsukiyoshi… I don't feel like I'm cramping your style, you know? To the others, I must seem like… I don't know… a stupid, giggly teen what with my moodiness lately."

The duo fell silent, as Kagome contemplated what she had just admitted. _'Even then, I don't feel right around Sarah and the guys, either. I went through so much in one year with InuYasha, Sango, Miroku… heck, even Shippou. I don't think the stuff that happens this time around can compare.'_ She groaned loudly, and then glared at the clock. "And where is InuYasha? He promised he'd come pick me up!"

Sarah shook her head. Kagome was in no state to be reasoned with; she was too upset.

OoO**OoO**OoO

InuYasha tapped his foot anxiously, checking his watch for probably the tenth time in as many minutes. _'Damn it! Kagome's going to kill me. She'll purify me… hell, maybe she'll just fucking seal me again. I promised I'd take her to see her family today.'_

"InuYasha," Sesshoumaru's voice broke through the hanyou's anxious thoughts, "stop your relentless fidgeting. I understand you're concerned about being on time for your miko, but this information is vital to her protection."

InuYasha bit down on a snarl and nodded, running his hand through his hair and re-focusing on the papers and information Arata was discussing.

"As you can see, we have yet to really get a lock on where Naraku is. The building they'd been in before appears to have been vacated within the last few weeks. Ken was the youkai we had the stronger energy signature from. Sango killed him, so that key to finding the bastard is gone." She glared balefully at InuYasha. "And of course, you failed to become familiar with this Chiaki wench's youki when you _met_ her outside the Council." InuYasha stared at Arata, daring her to give him a hard time when he was in such a foul mood.

"Feh. Do you have any information that _will_ help us?"

Arata was interrupted from answering by Sango's arrival. The hunter made sure the large double doors were shut and sealed before joining the trio. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic's hell today." She settled into a comfortable seat, Kirara purring contentedly on her lap. "I wasn't able to pick up any strange or unwelcoming youki on my rounds today. In fact, there was absolutely nothing suspicious going on."

"That, in and of itself, should be considered suspicious," Sesshoumaru intoned. The others nodded, agreeing with him. "Until we are unable to pinpoint Naraku's location, we must act as though he is just outside our door."

Once again, the meeting was interrupted. This time, it was Sango's cell phone. Looking at the caller ID, she excused herself and took the call. The others exchanged glances. It was rare Sango would pick up her phone in a meeting; the caller, then, must be important. Perhaps an informant?

"Sorry about that," Sango apologized, snapping her phone shut and sitting back down. "That was Miroku. I have some good news… and some bad news."

InuYasha rolled his eyes. "That's not a cliché line at all, Sango." Arata snorted.

Sango stuck out her tongue in a moment of childishness. "Cliché or not, it's true. You'll be happy to know that Souta is responding to stimulus. He hasn't opened his eyes, and he's not talking. But he's able to squeeze people's hands on command. They're very pleased with his progress, Miroku says." InuYasha let out a silent sigh of relief. Kagome would be thrilled to hear the news. InuYasha made a mental note to be sure to swing by the hospital with Kagome to let her see Souta. He knew she still felt guilty for involving her family in the battle against Naraku, even if she didn't do it on purpose. Hell, he felt worse. The family that had embraced him had been injured, and he had been _right there._

"And the bad news?" Sesshoumaru asked, trying to get the meeting rolling again. This time, the youkai lord was the one to stare at his watch. "I have another meeting in less than ten minutes, hunter, so give your report."

Sango nodded. "Well, this is a mix of good and bad news. I have a lead now on that youkai, Chiaki." Arata, InuYasha and Sesshoumaru all stared at Sango. She gulped. "She's apparently… a-at the high school. With Hitomu, Kagome, Sarah and Tsukiyoshi."

Arata's eyes widened at the implication. Conversely, InuYasha's eyes narrowed to slits. "When did this happen?"

"Miroku says he heard about it from Hitomu. Apparently she was enrolled a few days ago. She's in several of their classes."

Nobody jumped as InuYasha slammed a fist down on the table. "Son of a _bitch_! Did NONE of the pups think it important to tell _any_ of us? Why the _fuck_ didn't Kagome say anything?!" He continued ranting for a moment, breaking down into growls and flexed claws a few minutes later.

Sesshoumaru rose. "If that is all… taijya, you will follow this lead. Your son will assist you. Inform him of such. InuYasha, get information from the miko and find out why she is keeping important secrets such as these. She endangers the pack with such actions."

InuYasha nodded curtly, a bead of blood dripping from where a fang was firmly embedded in his lip. Sesshoumaru strode from the room, Arata leaving a minute later to resume her post outside the business Sesshoumaru owned and ruled with an iron fist.

"InuYasha," Sango said, reaching over to place her hand on his shoulder. He didn't throw it off, which was an encouraging sign. "Remember how Kagome is… she probably didn't keep this a secret on purpose. I mean, she always sees the best in everybody, right? She probably wants to see what Chiaki's goals are before doing anything. Please, please don't be hard on her."

InuYasha growled low, a warning of the anger roiling through him. "God damn it all… Sango, she's in fucking danger and didn't tell anybody! Even worse, it looks bad for her not to tell the pack stuff like this. I hate to admit it, but that bastard's right… the whole pack is in danger because we don't know anything."

Sango nodded. "I know. And Kagome might, too. But I think she's still stinging from the rejection from the Council. She doesn't see herself as one of the pack… and, to be honest, baka, your attitude the week she came back here didn't help at all. She's really confused, I think, and is trying her best to handle this. Please, please don't bitch at her too much about it."

InuYasha hung his head a moment before standing and heading toward the door. "I can't promise anything, Sango." At her admonishing look, he lowered his ears just a touch. "But I'll try to remember." He refused to let Sango see just how much Kagome's unwillingness to open up to him hurt him. _'Damn it, wench. Don't you trust me any more? Are you afraid of me now? Why won't you let me protect you?'_ He swore to himself he'd change Kagome's mind. She'd know just how important to the pack she was… just how important she was to _him._

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Oden! Mama, I love you!" Kagome bounced up and down at the table, clapping her hands eagerly. Inwardly, InuYasha smiled. It was good to see Kagome actually enthusiastic about something.

Kagome's mother apparently felt the same way. Though Kagome had insisted on helping, her mother was determined to cook a hearty meal to thank InuYasha for saving them that horrible day Ken and Naraku attacked, and for everything he had done since to keep her daughter safe. "I love you, too, dear. And I'm glad to see you're still so happy about my cooking. InuYasha, dear, would you like some more ramen?" She sighed happily, "It seems like everything is back to normal."

InuYasha nodded around a mouthful of noodles. The house had been built back up to the same exact layout as before the fire. Of course, Sesshoumaru had spared no expense, insisting on adding touches not often seen in traditional Japanese houses: central air and heating, for example. Kagome's Jii-chan had complained about the "lack of tradition" but it seemed half-hearted, at best. Even the old man could appreciate the comfort of a warm, cozy home.

That wasn't to say the codger hadn't found _other_ things to complain about. At that particular moment, he was bemoaning the loss of "all the history the shrine had to offer." Apparently the room with most of his relics and scrolls had gone up in flames and smoke. Though InuYasha doubted the historical accuracy of many of the items the old man had flaunted, InuYasha knew the loss hit him hard. Kagome, too, had a sad look on her face. She'd often mentioned that her grandfather was full of tall tales, but even she felt the pain the man was suffering. Kagome was always empathetic like that.

"Don't worry about it. Sesshoumaru has a load of old shit crammed into the den. I bet we could donate some from the collection to help build things up." The thrilled look on Kagome's Jii-chan's face convinced InuYasha he had made a good move.

'_Keh, getting in good with the family to gain favor with your mate?'_ InuYasha growled softly at the mocking tone of his human heart. Damn it, he didn't care _how_ he had to do it. He had heard far too much outside Kagome's room, listening to her spill her guts to Sarah without feeling a single twinge of guilt for eavesdropping. She never fucking talked to him anymore! _His_ Kagome had barely ever been able to shut up… now, she had shut herself away from him, either always pissed at him or ashamed of herself. She never thought she measured up… _'You never gave her any reason to,'_ the snide voice of his youkai reminded him, drawing a second growl from his throat. _'The Council's rejection did not help. We must make our mate smile again.'_

The growls had attracted the girl's attention. She was gazing at him, a strange look in her eyes. _'I wonder what she's thinking about. Is she upset at the Council? Is she worried about that damn youkai in her school? Would she even tell me what's on her fucked up mind if I asked?'_

'_I wonder what he's thinking about. I bet he wouldn't tell me, even if I asked,'_ Kagome thought with an inward sigh. _'He's so darn confusing. Why is he being so nice? Loaning the stuff to Jii-chan… is it because he's older? Am I looking into this too closely?'_

Dinner was a fairly quiet affair. For all her exertions, Kagome's mother was still healing and it hurt her to talk too much. Most of the conversation revolved around Kagome's trip to the States and how she was doing in school. InuYasha perked up at that conversation, ears and nose firmly on Kagome, especially when she started talking about her classes and her friends. He didn't detect any wariness about her, though she never once brought up her new classmate.

After dinner, InuYasha ushered Kagome out the door. "We still gotta go visit the kid before we get back to the den, wench." Seeing her hesitate, he played on her sympathies. "Your mom needs to get some sleep; she's exhausted," he tapped his nose, reminding her just how much he was able to pick up. Kagome nodded reluctantly, giving both her mama and Jii-chan a hug and kiss good-bye. InuYasha caught the glimmer of tears out of the corner of his eye and was thankful the wind was blowing the scent away. The guilt of keeping Kagome away from her family was beginning to eat away at him, but he knew it was better for everybody involved…

'_Except Kagome,'_ his human heart spoke up sorrowfully, beating a bit harder in sympathy for the woman who was leaving her family behind to be with him.

'_We'll just be her family then,'_ he reasoned, _'and remind her that she's the reason we're family in the first place! Keh! The wench doesn't know her own fucking worth…'_ He cringed as the sorrowful voice reminded him, _'Whose fault is that?'_

InuYasha snorted, drawing Kagome's attention from her apparently dismal thoughts. He grimaced as she forced a smile on her face. He'd do anything to make that pained look go away…

"Oi," he tossed out, as though just remembering, "Sango got a call earlier today you might be interested in." Kagome tilted her head in interest. "Seem like the brat's coming out of the coma he was in. He was squeezing Miroku's hand earlier today; the lecher says it's a good sign."

_There_ was the sunny smile he'd been hoping for. Kagome's eyes sparkled, a mixture of happiness and the remaining tears from saying good-bye to her mother. She sped up, grabbing his hand. He fell back a little, biting back a bit of a smirk as he allowed her to "drag" him toward his car. "Come _on_, InuYasha!" she insisted.

The duo pulled out of the hidden driveway, easing onto the expressway and heading toward the heart of Tokyo. Not for the first time, InuYasha mused about why the youkai in charge had decided to put a building catering to youkai right in the center of a primarily-human establishment. Even being off the beaten path would have been a smarter idea… he shook his head, pushed the pointless thoughts away for something a bit more important…

"Oi, Kagome." The excited young woman turned to look at InuYasha, obviously expecting him to continue expanding on Souta's improvement. He winced mentally, unwilling to upset her but knowing that she wasn't going to like what he had to say… but he had to say it, damn it. "Why-" He sighed. "Why did you tell anybody that Chiaki youkai who works for Naraku is going to your school?"

InuYasha meant to leave it at that. He really, really did. But he caught Kagome's wince out of the corner of his eye, saw her lower her head, bite her lower lip and stare out the window, as if she was doing some quick thinking. And that really pissed him off. _'She's acting like this is a fuckin' joke!'_

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you? You think is some sort of kami-forsaken game, wench?" he demanded, pounding a fist against the wheel. Kagome glared at him, and her anger fueled his own. "You're putting the entire fucking pack in danger by not saying anything! We _let_ you go to school, bitch, even though it's dangerous, because we're sure you're safe there! You're not if Naraku's lackeys are hanging around, though!"

Kagome blinked, emotions warring between relief and irritation. On one hand, just who did he think he was? She wasn't a member of their special, happy family. She was just a teenager… a teenager who had been judged and apparently found lacking! _'Not that that's a big change,'_ she thought mutinously, thinking back to all the times InuYasha had verbally judged her against Kikyou and found her coming up short.

On the other hand… he was her protector. It was no surprised he was so angry with her. He saved her, he made her feel safe and secure no matter where she was or what was happening. The thought comforted her, as did the return of his old, battle-ready attitude. He'd been so nice and helpful lately; she'd felt weird, as though somebody had possessed the gruff, rude hanyou she'd learned so well. Fighting with him was natural. It was normal. It was a throw-back to the way things were supposed to be, and for that, she had to admit she was relieved.

Derailing that particular train of thought, Kagome asked herself the same question InuYasha had put to her just a moment before. Why _hadn't_ she said anything about Chiaki? Was she putting herself in harm's way on purpose? Just being obstinate for the sake of making a point?

'_No! I wouldn't put my friends or family in danger if I had any say in it!'_ Then why hadn't she said something to the people she knew could handle these problems? _'Do I just want to prove myself to them? Do I not have any faith in them anymore?'_

"Answer me, bitch!"

'_Oh, that does it.'_ Kagome wondered vaguely if InuYasha was doing it on purpose; he pushed all of her most fiery buttons when they were in a place where sending him plummeting to the ground would be a horrific idea. On a plane… in a car… she briefly entertained the visual of InuYasha crashing through the floor of the car, slamming into the pavement below. She cringed as that image then went on to show her in the car… slamming into another vehicle. _'When did I get so darned violent?'_

"Damn it, Kagome! What the _fuck_ are you playing at? You obviously don't have a good answer for me; you're not going back to that damned school."

"You can't keep me out!" Kagome bristled. Hadn't he ruled her life enough lately?

Kagome's defiance brought a low growl to InuYasha's throat. "The hell I can't," he said lowly, sounding more menacing than when he was hollering at her. "I will do _anything_ and _everything_ in my power to keep you safe, bitch, whether you fucking like it or not!"

InuYasha cringed as Kagome's aura flared in response. Taking a deep, shaky breath, he tried to calm his temper. The last thing they needed was for him to lose his mind and slam the car into a wall. He focused his eyes on the road, squeezing the wheel tightly and trying to put a rein on his run-away temper.

'_I am an alpha. I am in charge of this situation.'_ Miroku's common critiques rang in his head, _'Words can often solve a situation with less force than violence.'_ He'd scoffed at them before; he wasn't a "words" person.

InuYasha sighed. "Look, wench. I-I…" He what? He _needed_ her to be safe. He _wanted_ her to be happy. Right now… it looked like one of those two options was going to fall by the wayside. Shit. This words thing was _hard._ _'How the fuck does Miroku do this every day?'_

"InuYasha, I know you just want to keep me safe," Kagome surprised him by speaking up first. Biting his lip, he nodded, staring at her out of the corner of his eye. "I know you need to keep everybody safe. I don't want anybody to get hurt, either. You know that." He nodded again. Of course he knew that. Kagome hated the thought of anybody in pain. "But I'm not pulling out of school. Nothing you say or do will make me. I'm not going to dishonor my family any more than I already have."

InuYasha winced. Honor. _That_ was something he knew, understood and could respect. _'Aw, hell…'_ She knew it, too. _'Fuckin' bitch… sneaky wench…'_

"Don't you trust me, bitch?" He finally spit out. "Why didn't you tell me? Or Sango? Hell, you could have told Miroku and I wouldn't be so pissed off. That youkai is _dangerous._"

'_So much for trying to handle this civilly,'_ Kagome thought with an internal groan. "Don't you trust _me_?" she responded. "You say I'm supposed to be some sort of alpha female, but you don't trust me to make a decision!"

InuYasha cringed again. _'Damn it…'_ "You know I do! Fuck, can't you see I'm… I'm worried about you, damn it! I _know_ you can make decisions." He snapped, "You just make some pretty _stupid_ ones sometimes! You think you can trust everybody! Is that what this is all about? You want to give this youkai wench a _chance?_" he spat as they pulled up to the hospital.

Kagome refused to dignify his ranting with a response, knowing it would tick him off even more. She stubbornly refused to let the tears building in her eyes fall as his comment echoed in her brain. _'Oh, I make stupid decisions, do I? I'm the one who chose to have Shippou come with us. I invited Miroku to travel with us. I welcomed Sango into our group!'_ She stomped her way to the front desk, ignoring InuYasha's angry shouts from behind her, knowing he'd catch up soon enough.

"Higurashi, Souta," she said to the youkai working the desk.

"Ah, Higurashi-san! I hear your brother is doing better. He's in the same room, go on in." With a buzz, the doors to the hallway of rooms swung open. InuYasha was back by his miko's side as she walked through, biting his tongue against the harsh words fighting to break free of his grasp. He could sense Kagome's apprehension at seeing her brother, smelt the guilt and shame in her scent.

"Oi," he said softly, catching her hand before she could go into her brother's room. "It ain't your fault, wench, that he's in there. He won't be happy if you're blaming yourself for this."

Meeting his eyes finally, Kagome gave him a watery smile. She straightened her shoulders, steeling herself for the sight that never failed to make her feel horrible: Souta hooked up to all those machines, looking so pale… _'InuYasha always blames me for stuff. How can he say this isn't my fault? If only I hadn't been so weak, I could have purified the miasma before anything happened… maybe I could have felt Naraku's influence in the jewel shards I have…'_

Nonetheless, she forced a smile on her face, thinking of how InuYasha said Souta was doing better, and pushed her way through the door. What she saw turned her smile into a real one – Souta lay without an oxygen mask, breathing on his own. His color was better, too. She hurried to his bedside, grasping his smaller hand and giving it a squeeze.

"S-Souta?" A huge grin threatened to split her face as her little brother slowly turned his head toward his sister's voice. "Souta… it's me, Kagome. I've really missed you; I'm sorry I was gone for so long…"

Kagome gasped as her brother slowly opened his eyes – the first time in about a month she'd seen them. "S-S-Souta?" He winced, the light obviously too bright for his weakened sense of sight, and InuYasha rushed to flip the light switches down a bit, so only the overhead lamp shone. He debated hitting the buzzer to let the nearest nurse know of Souta's change, but decided to give the siblings a few moments.

"Kagome?" Souta mouthed more than whispered, his voice all but gone from lack of use. Tears sprung to Kagome's eyes as her emotions warred again – this time between pleasure and guilt. It looked like her brother was going to be okay… _'But he never should have had a problem in the first place,'_ she protested mentally.

"Inu-no-nii…" Souta hoarsely forced out of his mouth, eyes darting around. InuYasha moved to be in the boy's line of sight, arms crossed.

"We're here, runt. Good to see you back with us." InuYasha refused to let the relief he felt show on his face. He didn't know what he would have done if something permanent had happened to Kagome's family… her family was her life. He never wanted her to be alone…

InuYasha looked at Kagome out of the corner of his eye as she began relating the story of how InuYasha had saved him and their mother. The way she told the story, he was a hero… He wondered, sometimes, how she could see him so different than he saw himself. It reminded him how so long ago, he would have done anything to see her smile… when all she wanted was for him to be himself.

'_I want to be her hero. I never want her to suffer.'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome blew her bangs out of her face, willing herself to focus on the blackboard.

'_I don't have the luxury of living history anymore,'_ she reminded herself. _'I have to pay attention now!'_ Still, her thoughts traveled to her brother, who had been doing much better in the past few days, and InuYasha, who was still driving her absolutely insane.

'_He's nice one minute and irritating the next,'_ she groaned. But she couldn't stop the smile from creeping onto her face as she recalled, _'But it's like how he used to be. It's… normal.'_

She stood and bowed with the class as the bell rang, signaling lunchtime for Kagome, who hurried to find her friends. Tsukiyoshi was leaning against the door waiting for her. At least one of the pack members was in each of her classes; Sesshoumaru had put his foot down upon their return to Tokyo. She looked around the hallway, surprised to find it rather empty. "No Hitomu today?"

"He and Sarah have a test to make up," the youkai replied. "A science test. I'm sure we'll have to take it after lunch." He managed a small smile as Kagome made a face.

"Just great." As the two turned the corner, what appeared to be a small riot stopped them in their tracks. Boys and girls alike were shouting things at a person in the hallway – it looked like no teachers had been informed of the impromptu "burning at the stake" occurring. "Can you hear what they're saying?" Kagome turned to Tsukiyoshi, whispering but knowing he'd hear. Perhaps his enhanced senses could pick out phrases… "Or can you see who they're crucifying over there?" Kagome hated being short. If it weren't for Tsukiyoshi's iron-like grasp on her upper arm, she'd already be fighting through the crowd.

"Don't-" Tsukiyoshi was cut off as a rather _familiar_ voice echoed.

"Who do you think you are?"

Kagome started. "Was that Eri?"

"You've got some nerve! Coming in here and starting rumors about poor Kagome!" Kagome blinked as Yuka's voice rang out in turn.

"Tsuki, let _go._" Kagome managed to twist out of the inu-youkai's grip and began shoving her way through. Whatever was going on obviously involved her. So why had nobody told her…

What she saw stopped her in her tracks. Eri, Yuka… even kind-hearted Ayumi were glaring at Ki, who looked baffled by all the fuss. Turning, Kagome realized that many of the people there were giving the incognito youkai the evil eye; those who weren't were grinning as though they were at some sort of show. _'Well, I guess to them this is one…'_

"Just what is going on here?" Kagome cried out loudly, drawing everybody's attention. Ayumi whirled to face Kagome, Yuka following. Eri remained glaring at Ki for all she was worth.

Ayumi rushed to her friend. "Eri is really, really mad at the new girl," she whispered, and then raised her voice so most everybody could hear. "The new girl says your family was lying about all the diseases. That you were skipping and doing drugs!"

Boos and hisses rang out from the crowd; Kagome was stunned. _'How do half of these people even know me? We just started at this school and I wasn't around for most of last year. Of course… I mean, I was always at school before that…'_

Yuka picked up where Ayumi had left off. "This bitch says you cheated to get into this school! Are you just going to let her smear your good name like that, Kagome?"

Kagome gaped, staring at her friends and then Ki in confusion. What caught her attention most was the look in the youkai's eyes… _'She looks really upset.'_ The look tugged at her heartstrings.

About then, all the accusations and alleged rumors sunk into Kagome's brain.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold the phone. You said I cheated to get in here?" Kagome demanded. She recalled the days of frustration, hurt and disappointment when it seemed she had failed her family in not passing her entrance exams. She had just barely snuck into this school as it was!

Ki inclined her head, meeting Kagome's angry gaze with a look of her own. "If you missed so much school last year, supposedly for a variety of illnesses, how were you able to pass the exams?"

Eri hissed, sounding so much like Kirara for a moment that Kagome was forced to hold back a giggle. "She was very sick! Kagome worked very hard and almost didn't get in here!" Kagome buried her hands in her face for a moment. _'Thanks, Eri. Announce it to the whole school, why don't you?'_

"Kagome is not a liar! Kagome would never do drugs, either!" Yuka chimed in, looking to Kagome for agreement.

"It's true, I've never done drugs," Kagome nodded. _'Eh… about the lying…'_

Belatedly, the girls in the center of the gathering realized teachers had finally come on scene, drawn to the shouting. Kagome started at Ki one last time, determined to show the youkai that she wouldn't back down – here or anywhere else, for that matter. Again, she caught a look of pain and frustration on her face.

"Problem, girls?" A teacher asked Eri, who still looked murderous. The teen shook her head.

"Not at all, sensei. Just a misunderstanding. I'm sorry for interrupting your class."

"Move along, then."

The three girls looked to Kagome before crying out that they'd save her a seat. With one last glare in Ki's direction, they headed toward the cafeteria for the remainder of lunch. Kagome felt Tsukiyoshi come up behind her, until it was only the three remaining in the hallway.

"Look," Kagome offered, "I'm sorry about my friends. All of them are a bit protective."

Ki raised an eyebrow. "You apologize? I say horrific things about you… and you apologize to me?"

Kagome flushed, looking at her feet. "Well, part of what you said was true," she muttered, knowing both nearby would hear her. "I wasn't sick and we all know that. But still-"

"Why are you being kind to me?" Ki demanded angrily, cutting into whatever Kagome was about to explain. Kagome's head jerked up and tilted questioningly.

"I-I…" the miko trailed off. Closing her eyes for a moment, various faces flashed through her mind. Kagura… Kanna… even Moryoumaru and Naraku's infant… they'd all wanted to be free of Naraku's influence. "I don't want you to have to live under him," Kagome finally said, opening her eyes to meet Ki's once more. Tsukiyoshi's hand on her shoulder bolstered her. "So many of those who worked with him… they wanted freedom. They wanted his death. You do not seem evil to me. I want your freedom from him."

Ki's eyes flared. A gust of wind rushed past Kagome's face in a blur; suddenly, Tsukiyoshi was in front of her, growling menacingly, holding Ki's arm at the wrist. _'Did she just try to slap me?'_

"How dare you," Ki seethed, glaring around Tsukiyoshi to the miko behind him. "You dare to judge me, to judge my worth and loyalty to my master? He has been nothing but kind to me… whereas just the sight of you causes me pain! I don't need nor want your pity, child-miko!" She jerked her hand out of Tsukiyoshi's grasp. "I will have my revenge on you. Just you wait."

Ki spun on her heel and stalked off, shoulders taught with barely-contained fury. Kagome slumped to the floor, eyes unseeing. _'I need to tell somebody about this…'_ Tsukiyoshi tilted her face up. _'Or he will…'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome dug through her closet, dancing to the music playing behind her. _'What to wear, what to wear…'_ She grabbed a cute dress from the closet with a matching jacket and spun to hold it up to herself in the mirror.

The hanger fell to the floor with a clatter as golden eyes locked with hers from across the room. Clearing his throat, looking sheepish at startling her, InuYasha walked into her room. He breathed in deep, enjoying the scent that was absolutely, wholly Kagome.

"Oi," he nodded, sitting on her bed. _'Why am I so nervous? She always wanted to talk before. Of course, she always started it… But I know she's gotta have a shit-ton of questions… Sango said she knew about those girls.' _Why did his heart grow heavy in his chest at that thought? _'Damn it…'_

Kagome pasted a small smile on her face. "Hey. What's up?"

"Not much. Um…" InuYasha looked away for a moment. "Was wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner or something tonight. Thought we could sit down, talk."

Kagome's mouth dropped open. After a moment, she shut it, flushing. Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to look at his eyes… "I-I'm… um… I-already-have-a-date-tonight," she blurted out quickly, turning her back on him.

"What?" InuYasha stood, glaring at her back. "With who?"

"H-Hitomu…" Kagome whispered.

"I didn't fucking approve that!" InuYasha shouted. He reached out and spun her back around by the shoulder, forcing her to meet his gaze.

Kagome's eyes flashed angrily, mood rising with his. "You can't tell me what I can and cannot do, InuYasha! You can't stop me from being a normal teenager!" Kagome could actually feel his anger growing. It wasn't rolling off him so much as pouring out of her. _'What a strange feeling… it's like I know how he's thinking,'_ flashed through her mind before being caught up in other, more turbulent emotions of rage, irritation and… betrayal?

Eyes planted firmly on his rosary, she hissed, "You never let thoughts of _me_ get in the way of _your_ relationships." She didn't have any idea where the comment came from… didn't have any clue whether she was talking about Kikyou or the women Ayame had mentioned in passing… and she found it didn't matter. Either way, both of them flinched the moment the words left her mouth. All of InuYasha's breath left him in a loud _'whoosh'_ as though she had punched him. At the same time, Kagome felt herself deflate, wishing she could take it back.

Kagome found she could actually hear him grind his teeth together. "Fine," he bit out, "Fine. Be a _normal_ _teenager,_" he sneered, stomping out of her room.

As he left, Kagome slunk to the floor. She'd never felt so alone.

Slamming his office door, InuYasha spared a moment to marvel at the fact that Miroku had finally learned just the right amount of tension on the hinges to keep him from sending the door through its frame…

He threw himself in his office chair, spinning to glare out at the darkening sky.

'_What the _fuck_ was that all about?'_ he fumed. Absolutely livid, InuYasha wanted to rip something, to tear into something. _'That asshole pup fucking knows she mine. What the hell is he playing at? What the fuck is _she_ thinking?'_

He winced as her last statement resounded in his head. '_You never let thoughts of _me_ get in the way of _your_ relationships!'_ Each word, each syllable had been like a gunshot through the heart. _'If she only knew how fucking wrong she was…'_

After Kagome had left, InuYasha had refused to have anything to do with women. Sure, there were trysts here and there, but nothing ever lasted more than a night or two. He refused to fall into a relationship with another woman – they were all the same. He saw them all as worse than irritating – they were traitorous, pure and simple. Sure, Sango was kind. Kaede had been like a grandmother to him, and Aratakoumyou was the sister he never knew he sort of had.

But Kagome… Kagome had been his. More than Kikyou ever had been or ever could have been; she was the first person to accept him for who he was. When he thought she had betrayed him, it had cut him deeper than Kikyou's arrow ever could have. The scars Kagome had left had never healed, though she'd healed Kikyou's long before. He'd betrayed her so many times in thought and action… rushing to Kikyou's side like a loyal puppy (he winced at the mental comparison, true as it was) and leaving Kagome alone.

'_Not alone,'_ he insisted mentally. _'Somebody else was always with her. Even if it wasn't what she wanted.'_ Even then, he knew it hadn't been enough – Naraku had gotten her more than once… but still, she'd always forgiven him.

Miroku entered the office slowly, as InuYasha sat, staring blankly out the window.

'_Have I finally done it? Have I finally pushed her away for good… now that I know she's the one I wanted all along? She said she loved me. Was it all just a lie?'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.) Arata is the creation of the fabulous Phalon – I've done a bit of tweaking, but she is for all intents and purposes not mine.


	25. Chapter 24: Questions and Answers

Pack Law

Chapter 24: Questions and Answers

Kagome shifted in her seat. _'Hitomu is a friend. Heck, you've kissed him! So relax,'_ she chided herself, wondering why she just felt… wrong. _'There's no reason to feel guilty. Hitomu asked first. I'd have gone with InuYasha if he had asked first!'_ That last thought fueled her ire, as though the anger she still felt was just bubbling under the surface of her skin. _'Just who does he think he is, anyway!? Does he just expect me to sit around the den, waiting for him to come and sweep me away?'_ Of course, he _had_ insisted she stay home as much as possible…

Hitomu cocked his head, watching the play of emotions across the young miko's face. _'Nervous… guilt, anger… guilt again…'_ The young woman hadn't said much since they picked her up at her room. This wouldn't do at all. He turned his head sideways to gaze at his mother, who was also looking at Kagome with concern.

"Kagome?" The miko looked questioningly at Sango, who'd finally broken the silence. Sango smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry I have to accompany you guys everywhere tonight. I'm sure you'd rather be alone…" she trailed off teasingly, smiling as Kagome flushed.

"No, no!" Kagome waved her arms, then caught Hitomu's eye and blushed brighter. "Not that I don't like you, Hitomu! That's not what I meant-" She was cut off by Sango and Hitomu, who'd broken into loud laughter at the girl's discomfiture. Kagome huffed. "I mean, it's fine that you're with us, Sango. After all, I've seen more of Hitomu than you! I miss hanging out with you and talking like we used to."

Sango smiled at Kagome; the grin eased the tension from the miko's shoulders and before long the three were chatting comfortably about the latest movie Hitomu was interested in seeing. _'This feels so good,'_ Kagome thought happily, _'I'm just a normal girl, doing normal things. Not worrying about the end of the world or power-hungry youkai or catching up in school... it's good to relax.'_ She blinked, wondering how she could be so calm when just a few hours ago she wanted to tear into InuYasha. _'I know I can be kind of moody but this is really worse than usual.'_

The conversation stilled as the waiter brought out their food. Digging in, Kagome was surprised to see she was nearly ravenous. Apparently all her anger earlier had given her an appetite! She dug in with gusto, getting rather impressed looks from both Sango and Hitomu. "Sorry," she mumbled through a mouthful of noodles, "Don' know why 'm so 'ungry…"

Sango picked up the conversation, discussing Hitomu's delayed trip to France. Kagome was surprised to hear Tsukiyoshi had gotten out of going to visit the Neko no Taisho's daughter because of what had happened outside the council meeting. Of course, that topic brought up more anger… _'Baka InuYasha! Stupid council! Who are they to tell me what I can and can't do?!'_

Hitomu found himself staring at Kagome as her aura began to crackle menacingly. _'Whatever's on her mind, it isn't anything great…'_ Trying to distract her, he grabbed a new subject out of thin air. "So, what about that throw down at school? I'm sorry I missed it - chick fights are hot!"

Sango gaped at her son a moment before swatting him in the back of the head. Kagome's jaw was nearly on the table. "What 'chick fight' are you talking about?"

Hitomu grinned unrepentantly at Kagome, rubbing his head ruefully. "What do you mean, 'What chick fight'? The throw-down between you and Ki!"

Kagome blinked, caught completely off-guard. Sango gazed back and forth between the two teenagers. "Throw-down?" she repeated, turning to stare fully at Kagome. "Are you getting into fights at school? I know InuYasha can be irritating to live with… _boy_, do I know all too well, but-"

"That's not it at all!" Kagome interrupted, slapping her palms down on the table and standing. "I'm not getting into fights at school! We didn't have a 'throw-down' as _that_ baka," she pointed a Hitomu, who grinned and ducked his head, "so stupidly put it. It wasn't anything like that!" Kagome realized a little too late that her voice had been steadily rising in volume – looking around a moment later, she noticed several pairs of eyes fixed on her throughout the restaurant.

While normally that would be cause for embarrassment, Kagome's ire simply grew. _'What do those people think they're staring at?'_ She flopped back into her seat, vaguely taking in Hitomu's and Sango's shocked expressions before continuing at a hiss, "Ki was trying to spread rumors about me! Actually," she bit her lip, glaring down at her food as though it had done her some great wrong, "she was telling the truth. She was spreading around the fact that I wasn't really sick last year."

At Sango's gasp, Kagome put her hand up. "Of course she wasn't spreading anything about magic wells and fighting youkai in the Sengoku Jidai… even she knows how dumb that would sound, even if it _is_ the truth. No, she was just saying I was skipping, going to the mall and stuff. It didn't work, though. I still have plenty of friends at school, and nobody believed her. It didn't help her cause that she apparently approached Yuka, Ayumi and Eri first…" Kagome trailed off with a bit of a laugh.

Hitomu spoke up, taking advantage of the lull in conversation. "If it wasn't a 'chick fight', tell me why Tsukiyoshi said he had to stop her from slapping you."

Sango's eyes grew wider. "Kagome, the _enemy_ is at the school and you haven't said a _word_ of it to anybody! And now she's attacking you there? You _have_ to tell-"

Kagome lifted her head, eyes steely. "Don't even say it, Sango. InuYasha may think he's privy to everything that goes on in my life, but he's really not and has no reason to be." Just thinking about the hanyou caused the anger that seemed to still be lurking just inside her to surface. "I really wish you people would just let me handle my own business! You act like I can't do anything! For your information, I can handle this perfectly fine! She tried to slap me because I offered to _help_ her." She took in Sango's shocked face and mistook the cause. Lowering her voice with a chuckle, she continued, "That's right. I want to _help_ her. So many of Naraku's incarnations wanted freedom, I assumed she wanted the same thing. Imagine my surprise when it turned out she's incredibly loyal to him and took offense?"

A lull descended on the table as Sango waited to see if Kagome had anything else to get off her chest. When it appeared the miko was done, she spoke up. "Kagome… I'm not surprised you tried to help her." Kagome's head shot up at Sango's easygoing tone.

"You're not mad?" Kagome's bottom lip quivered as she tried to rein in her tears. "I'm sorry, Sango… and you too, Hitomu. I don't know why I'm so darn moody today. It seems like the smallest thing just gets me going."

Hitomu scoffed. "That's easy; it's just that time of the month, right?" He yelped as Sango whacked him in the back of the head again.

OoO**OoO**OoO

After catching an early night showing of the latest blockbuster action movie, Hitomu and Kagome cajoled Sango into agreeing to walk with them back home. As the theater was only about a kilometer away from the pack's land, she reluctantly agreed, but only under the condition that Kirara walk with them. Not at all ruffled by the plan, they set out for a leisurely stroll.

"You're right, Kagome," Sango said, gazing upward. "The stars were a lot more visible during the Sengoku Jidai."

Kagome grinned, surprised her friend would remember the comment so many centuries in the future. "I know. It's one thing I'll really miss about never going over there. Baka InuYasha," she muttered, remembering how he had single-handedly demolished her portal to the past.

"Don't give him too much of a hard time," Sango suggested. "Just remember… he suffered, too." Kirara let out an agreeing meow from her mistress's shoulder.

"No, he blamed _me_," Kagome shot back. "He blames me for _everything._"

"So, what are you going to do about Ki? You can't just let her try and bad-talk you," Hitomu broke in, hoping to cut Kagome off from another angry rant.

It didn't work as well as it could have. "I don't see why not," Kagome said. "I don't enjoy it, but she's not hurting anybody but herself. I'd rather her try and spread rumors about me than try and come after us."

"But if you don't do something, she'll eventually move on to bigger things. Like coming after the jewel shards," Sango pointed out. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I really think you should let InuYasha help with this."

Kagome shook her head adamantly. "No. I don't want his help… not with this, anyway."

Sango stopped in front of the younger girl, hands on her hips. "Just why _not_," she pressed. "There's got to be something you're not telling me." Seeing Kagome bite her lip, she pushed harder. "When Kohaku was under Naraku's control, you told me I couldn't get him back alone. When InuYasha was having trouble wielding Tetsusaiga, you told him he couldn't deal with the problem by himself. When Miroku-"

"I get the point!"

"Well, then?"

Kagome let out a sigh, hoping to impress on Sango just how put-upon she felt. By the way Sango tapped her foot, it wasn't working. "I think… I think Chiaki's connected to Kikyou somehow."

Hitomu's eyes narrowed. "Kikyou? Isn't that- Wait. You're her reincarnation, aren't you?" At Kagome's nod, he continued, "If you're her reincarnation, then how could Ki be connected to her? And names notwithstanding, what makes you think they're connected?"

Kagome worried her bottom lip, trying to figure out how to put her concerns into words. "Well… it's hard to say. I mean, I know I'm her reincarnation. The Shikon no Tama was inside me, and it was burned with Kikyou's body. That's not really arguable. But… it's just a feeling I have." She turned to Sango, sure she'd have more luck with somebody who'd witnessed the situation first-hand. "You know how she was brought back with part of my… er, her… _our_ soul?" Sango nodded. "For a couple months afterward, I could _feel_ it. When she was nearby, I knew. It was like there was a hole in me. After a while it went away. I still knew when she was around, but it wasn't really painful."

Sango cocked her head. "Did you ever figure out why?"

"Kaede told me it was something to do with my powers growing with… well, with my love for InuYasha. Remember, Kikyou's powers supposedly weakened when she fell in love, right? Kaede said mine were different."

"Alright, but that really doesn't explain anything," Hitomu broke in. "So you're saying your souls feel familiar or something? That doesn't make any sense. I can see auras and yours is different than hers. Hers is… muddy."

"Muddy?" Sango was confused. She could feel youki but had a harder time feeling anything spiritual, not having either youki or reiki.

It was Hitomu's turn to try and put his feelings into words. "It was like… most people's auras are clear. They're understandable. With her, it's like… like listening to a radio in-between stations on the road. You pick up little bits of different things, and nothing's really clear."

'_Well, that cleared things up,'_ Kagome thought sarcastically. "But _why_ is it like that?"

Hitomu shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe father knows something."

"I'll ask him," Sango suggested, sighing in relief as the windows of the Den came into view. "Kagome, are you sure you don't want to get InuYasha involved? He's our alpha… he really should know."

Kagome was adamant, though, and put her foot down on this one. "No. You know how dumb he always got when it came to Kikyou. Heck, if they're related… now it's like she's a youkai. He'd be thrilled," she muttered.

Sango hid her smile, though it was doubtful either of the teenagers would see it in the dark. "I don't think you give him enough credit, Kagome. He waited a long time…" At Kagome's sound of disapproval, Sango sighed. "I don't like keeping secrets from our alpha, but fine. But just for now," she cautioned. "If I think you guys are in any more danger, I'm going to say something. Now, let's get going to bed. Hitomu, your sister should be in tomorrow afternoon. You'll want to come with us to the airport, right?"

OoO**OoO**OoO

"So, the date went okay?" Miroku gazed shamelessly at his wife as she stripped, catching his arms around her before she could reach for a nightgown. He chuckled as heat rose in Sango's cheeks – angry or lustful, he wasn't really sure he cared. She looked so tempting like that…

"Hentai! Hands off for now," Sango warned, squirming out of his grasp. "It went fine," she answered almost as an afterthought, intent on calming down her body and getting ready for bed. "But I'm worried about Kagome."

"And I'm worried about InuYasha," Miroku said, and then amended his statement, "Well, not so much worried about InuYasha as worried about the rest of us. Apparently he offered to take Kagome out, but she turned him down in favor of going out with our son. He's locked himself in his office."

"You couldn't get him out?"

Miroku chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I have better self-preservation instincts than that, my dear Sango. You should know that by now."

Sango nodded. "Ah, unwilling to venture into the snake's den?"

"You could say that. Why are you worried about Kagome?"

"She was in such a rotten mood most of the night, Miroku," Sango sighed. "It's not normal. Yeah, Kagome could blow up with the best of them, but it wasn't ever really like this. It was almost as if the smallest things could set her off. Once we got back, Hitomu said her aura was fluctuating all night long."

Miroku blinked, thoroughly distracted by this unwelcome news. "Her aura really only flared up a few times in the past that I can remember. Even when InuYasha was irritating her, it didn't encompass her entire being. She was just angry, 'osuwari'-ed InuYasha and went on her way." He sat on the bed, only vaguely taking note of his wife's beautiful curves as she stretched.

"I'm really worried about her, Miroku. And she doesn't want to talk to InuYasha about problems she's having at school, either."

"Why not?"

Sango looked away, obviously distressed. "I can't tell you. I can't tell InuYasha, either; I promised I wouldn't unless absolutely necessary."

Well, that was irritating. Miroku found an eyebrow twitching. "So, you're telling me she's having problems, but only will tell you. You can't tell anybody unless it's… a problem. Which it obviously _is_ because we're talking about it!"

Sango rolled her eyes. "You think just like a man." She kept talking, completely ignoring Miroku's muttered, "Well, I would _hope_ so."

"I _mean_ even more of a problem than it is now." She intercepted Miroku's rather unimpressed look and sighed. "Look, I'm not happy about it, either! But Kagome trusts me… and I don't want to break that trust. It's obvious she's uncomfortable with most of us right now. I don't want to make it any worse. Just… will you try to talk to her? Maybe she'll open up to you." Her husband didn't look convinced. "Anyway, while you do that, I'll see if I can drop a hint to InuYasha. She didn't say I couldn't nudge him in the right direction…"

Miroku nodded slowly, a grin surfacing on his face at Sango's planning. "Fine. But right now, she should be asleep in bed… and I can think of other things I'd like to focus on before our children and Naraku problems interfere once more…"

Rolling over, he clicked off the lamp and gathered his Sango in his arms to fully enjoy a free night together.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"-me?"

"-gome!" The rustling grew louder; the young woman shivered as her warm cocoon of heat was suddenly torn away.

"Kagome! Wake up!" Bright light shone through Kagome's clenched eyelids. _'Yelling, stealing my blankets… and now he turns on the light. As soon as I get up, I'm killing Miroku…'_

"Mmmmm, 'roku… 'm s'eepy…" She groped blindly for her blankets, ignoring the muffled laughter. _'There is _nothing_ funny about this. And I'll let them know it, too… in a few hours…'_

Tap, tap, tap…

"Oh, give it a rest!" Kagome flung herself in the direction of the cold metal rod poking her in the back, hoping to wrench it from her tormentor's grasp. She was denied her vengeance as she hit the floor with a gasp and a thud.

Miroku's muffled laughter turned into all-out guffaws at the pile of limbs Kagome had been reduced to. From the way his laughter continued, she imagined her glare wasn't nearly as intimidating as she had hoped.

"Rise and shine, Kagome! We're going to meditate today!"

Kagome yawned, pulling her body into some semblance of order as she stretched against the kink in her neck. "W-w-w-why? It's a weekend; I wanna sleep…"

"My daughter is here and wants to check out the focus of the most powerful miko I've ever met. C'mon, lazy, it's not nearly as early as you make it out to be. Get dressed and meet us in the back yard." With one last prod of his staff, Miroku wandered out of her room, leaving Kagome muttering on the floor.

Twenty minutes later, she was leveling a glare at the beautiful young woman sitting next to her father.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Kagome screeched, hands clamped firmly on her bottom. Miroku, _'Lecherous pig…'_, looked like he was suffering oxygen deprivation from laughing so hard.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lady Kagome!" She held out her hand, smiling innocently as Kagome eyed it much like she would eye a threatening animal. "I'm Miyuki, father's eldest child. I really didn't mean any offense… you're absolutely beautiful, you know! I just can't help this hand; father says it's a family curse!"

Kagome blinked in astonishment before forcing a wan smile on her face and taking a seat just out of arm's reach of Miroku and his daughter. The choice went uncontested by the two, though they shared amused glances.

"Okay, Kagome. Let's begin with some simple meditation, shall we?" Miroku fell into his serious teaching tone, letting both women know he meant business.

Slipping her ring on, Kagome let herself relax, focusing on breathing evenly. Most everything fell past her notice as she brought her powers to the surface. InuYasha's youki, still tinged with bitterness, touched against hers lightly, letting her know he was somewhere nearby. _'Obviously,'_ she reminded herself, _'after all, he lives here. Focus…'_

InuYasha watched from the window as Miroku ran Kagome through a series of tests, demonstrating her powers' flexibility. He narrowed his eyes on the small ball of power she'd managed to form. Maybe it was the fact that they were in the shadow of a tall tree, but her powers had always been a brilliant pink. The ball she held was tinged with red… He opened the window, leaning out to get a closer look.

Miroku and Kagome noticed the same thing. Both were staring in confusion. "Do you think it's because I've been so moody lately?"

"I don't think so, Kagome… though it may be a reason you've been so upset."

Miyuki spoke up, having watched the exchange carefully. "Did you know your powers have a trace of youki in them?"

Kagome's eyes widened as she stared at the women. "What? Why? How?" Her gaze swiveled back to Miroku, who was now staring at the jewel around her neck. Her hand went to the half-formed ball, twiddling with it nervously. "Do you think it's the jewel?" She gasped as a stray thought made itself known, "Do you think it could taint the jewel?"

"It hasn't so far," Miroku mused. "I can't imagine it would start now."

"Maybe that's it!" Miroku and Kagome turned to look at the woman, who bounced excitedly. "Maybe it's the work of keeping the jewel pure? You're around a lot of youkai, now. Maybe their youki is affecting the jewel, and to keep it pure, it's leeching over to you?"

Miroku nodded slowly. "That could be it. You've never really had the jewel around so many youkai before, have you, Kagome? It stands to reason that you'd have to work a bit harder to keep it pure…"

Kagome nodded. _'Maybe that would explain my moodiness, too?'_ Relieved, she stood and begged a break from the duo.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome gulped, stamping down on her nervousness as she felt her lunch lurch unpleasantly in her stomach. _'Oh come on,'_ she chided herself, _'It's just InuYasha! There's no reason to be so nervous.'_ Steeling her reserve, she knocked… a lot softer than she would have hoped.

"C'mon in."

Peering through the door, she held in her gasp. The light streaming through the window hit him just right, glinting off his silver hair and haloing around him, giving him a kami-like quality. "InuYasha?"

The hanyou bit back a snarl as he looked up, scowl firmly in place. "Whaddaya want, wench?"

She refused to rise to his barb. _'Honey rather than vinegar,'_ she reminded herself carefully. "I-I…" _'What is it about his eyes that captivate me?'_ "I wanted to know if you'd come with me to go see my family?"

InuYasha's eyes narrowed. She seemed calm enough, honest… very hopeful… just like he had felt the night before. She'd had no problems squashing _his _hopes _then…_

"Why don't you just let that Hitomu bastard take you?" He ignored the catch in his chest as she let out a pained gasp.

'_Why you-…'_ She very nearly pointed out that she'd been forbidden to leave the Den without an adult escort. _'Then again… if he says Hitomu can take me… I guess that counts as getting permission, right?'_ Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Fine," she bit out, turning on her heel and stomping out of the office.

Luckily for her, she ran into Hitomu just a few doors down. "Come with me, Hitomu?" she wheedled.

He leveled a stern glare at her. "Where are you going?"

"I want to see my family! Just because the rest of you get to relax here doesn't mean I want to be kept here forever!"

"You're not supposed to go-"

"InuYasha said to have you take me," she interrupted angrily. "And right now, that doesn't seem like a bad idea. You won't let anything happen, will you?"

Hitomu sighed. "That's a cross-city walk, Kagome," he pointed out.

"So? We walked further than that all the time in the Sengoku Jidai. And we'll take a taxi back. Let's go!"

Hitomu hung back as she tugged on his arm. On one hand, he wouldn't mind accompanying her anywhere, especially if she was still upset at InuYasha. On the other hand… it really wasn't safe…

"Come on, ple-e-e-ease?" The hopeful tone was just too much for him to ignore.

"Fine, let's go." He had a bad feeling about the day… but really, what could happen in the middle of Tokyo?

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.) Arata is the creation of the fabulous Phalon – I've done a bit of tweaking, but she is for all intents and purposes not mine.


	26. Chapter 25: Where We First Met

Pack Law

Chapter 25: Where We First Met

_She twisted the coarse, light-colored fabric tightly, imitating the worry twisting in her gut. She was aware of the whispers of the other women, further down the river, tending to their own laundry. They were too far away to be clear, but it was obvious they didn't want her to know what they were discussing._

_Of course they didn't. Their men had returned late last night… exhausted, battle-worn and dirty, but alive. Her husband was still out there… but he was coming back. She knew it._

_She swept the small hut, smiling wryly at the tiny muddy footprints tracked around the floor. Just as she put the broom away, sighing in relief, her little terror rushed in, replacing the dirt with more. Her chastising words caught in her throat at the sight of her son's face – worry, concern, and sadness as he told her a man from the village was waiting for her outside._

_Sorrow… he insisted her husband had been killed by one of the new matchlock guns. He'd saved this younger man… but left her and their son all alone…_

Ki jerked awake, shocked at the liquid coursing down her cheeks. _'I was crying?'_ Remembering her dream in stunning clarity, she rose, positive there'd be no more sleeping for her.

"Sleep, such a disgusting human weakness," her master's voice intoned from the doorway. Ki swung away, staring out the window and quickly wiping her cheeks. It may be obvious she'd been tearing up, but the hells would open up and swallow her whole before she'd admit it.

Ki sniffed, hoping it sounded more offended than sorrowful. "Weakness or not… I don't need it. I simply enjoy it."

"You say you don't need it, but you're obviously out of sorts this morning. Are you prepared and able to do my bidding, beautiful Chiaki?"

Ki nodded, shoving her negative emotions to the back of her mind. She'd lost track of the time she'd spent with her master, but he'd always been kind to her. So what if she had questions he wouldn't answer? She had meant what she'd said to the impertinent girl at school… she was loyal and would do anything Master Naraku wished of her. "Of course, Master. What is it you wish of me today?"

"Close your eyes," he commanded, moving closer to her. She felt him come closer, could smell the effect his limited aura had on the air around him and wished he had more power, had the power to create a fully-formed body. Obviously forming a hand, he placed the half of the Shikon no Tama in her hand. "Feel its aura," he ordered. "Be familiar with it." After a moment, he spoke again. "Do you feel the pulling of your soul?"

Ki wrinkled her nose, searching deep within herself. Contrary to what her master always claimed, her soul wasn't necessarily _tugging_ at anything. She never felt empty. It was more… speaking to her, saying there was more out there. It led her places… and always to that infernal schoolgirl!

"Follow the feel of the shards, Chiaki. Go to where your soul commands you. You will find the miko Kagome, take the shards from her, and kill her. Do not fail me, Chiaki."

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome muttered something unintelligible under her breath, bangs falling over her eyes as she marched next to Hitomu. He gazed at her out of the corner of his eyes, taking in the tense set of her shoulders, her clenched fists and flushed cheeks.

"Sooooo," he drawled, hoping to stimulate some sort of conversation. They'd gotten about three-quarters of the way across town, and Kagome hadn't said a word. "Is there any particular reason you've dragged me across town with you?"

"I told you," she huffed, "I want to see my family today. It's not fair to keep me locked up in there, especially after that baka said I wouldn't be kept from them!"

'_Ah ha,'_ Hitomu grinned. "So you got in another fight with Uncle InuYasha this morning, huh?"

Kagome growled a bit, widening Hitomu's smile. _'Those two were made for each other. They just can't see it.'_ His grin faltered as he remembered all the harsh ways his alpha had treated the young woman, _'And I don't have to like it, either. But mother says these two belong together… and she's known them longer.'_

Unaware of Hitomu's internal struggle, Kagome had begun ranting. "-hot and then he's cold. Super-nice and freaky and then he's back to being his baka self! I mean, it's not _my_ fault he didn't ask to take me out before you did. Besides," her voice turned morose, "there's no way he can be interested in somebody like me, anyway…"

Hitomu snorted, and then looked around. They were about halfway through a park. He nudged his companion, hoping to put a smile back on her face. "Hey, look where we are."

Kagome blinked, taking in the surroundings. "The park?"

Hitomu nodded to a bench under a tree, off the beaten path. "This is where we first met," he reminded her, acting shocked that she hadn't remembered. A smile began to grow on her face.

"Oh, you're right." She ducked her head. "You know… when I first met you, I thought you were Miroku's reincarnation," she muttered, slightly embarrassed. _'Then again, I didn't know any better,'_ she reminded herself, a flash of anger at InuYasha reigniting in her veins. _'How was I supposed to know Miroku and Sango would live this long?'_

Hitomu had let out a bit of a laugh at Kagome's confession, only smothering it when she leveled a glare at him. "Sorry, sorry," he choked out, waving his hands at her. "But you have to admit, that's kind of amusing. I mean, I don't look that much like him, do I?"

Kagome shook her head. "Nah, you're a decent blend of Sango and Miroku." Her face took on a bit of a bitter quality as she continued, "But then, I don't look exactly like Kikyou, either. Our eyes were different colors and she was always so… refined." She sighed, taking a seat on the bench. "Hitomu? Do you think I'm pretty?"

The teen cocked his head, lifting an eyebrow and somehow looking so much like InuYasha in that instant that her heart hurt. Then his father's nature shone through… "Do you really think I'd be hanging all over you if you weren't?"

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him before giving a tiny nod. "Actually, yes. Yes, I do. Because under that lecher façade, you're just like your father. You act like a pervert but you're a good guy and a good friend. Don't play with me."

Hitomu suddenly remembered what she'd said about InuYasha just before he switched topics. _'There's no way he can be interested in somebody like me, anyway,'_ she'd muttered._ 'She was always so… refined.'_

"Kagome," Hitomu said, obviously serious this time. "You are beautiful. Not just physically, but overall. You are a good person. In fact, my mother says if it weren't for you, none of the pack would be as close as they are now… if they knew each other at all."

Kagome sniffled as she began to cry. "But… if that were true, why wouldn't InuYasha give me a talisman in the past? I would have stayed with him," she confessed. "Did he not want me with him? Did he want the centuries to be with other women? I know he knew how much he upset me when he went off with Kikyou…"

Hitomu's eyes flared. "Is that really what you think?" Kagome nodded miserably and Hitomu wilted. _'InuYasha, father's right. You can be such an idiot…'_ Damn it. "Kagome, remember… InuYasha thought you sealed the well." He held up his hand as her eyes flashed, angry at the insinuation. "We all know that's not true now," he continued, heading off what was sure to be a marvelous outburst. "But do you really think he didn't want you with him? He thought _you_ didn't want to be with him. InuYasha's a man, darling. Did you really expect him to go 500 years without you and not be with any women, especially if he thought you didn't want him?"

Kagome gazed at Hitomu in astonishment. She'd never really thought about it that way. But still… "But I promised to stay by his side! Why would he think I would lie to him like that?"

Hitomu shrugged. "I don't know, Kagome. I never knew him in the past. All I know of him then is what mother and father told me. They always said that the two of you were meant for each other… if you guys could get past your communication problems." He smiled wryly, "Now that I've seen it for myself, I'm tempted to agree with them."

Kagome opened her mouth wide – whether to agree with him or chastise him, he wouldn't find out. A bolt, lit bright blue with youki, slammed into the tree between the two of them, taking some of Hitomu's bangs with it.

In the tree line, crossbow in hand, Ki stood defiantly, chin up and eyes narrowed. Dropping her long-distance weapon, she pulled out a curved, lethal-looking dagger and leapt across the distance separating them.

With a shout, Hitomu activated his staff, slammed it into the ground and projected a quick barrier. Ki bounced back with a hiss and a sizzle, glaring at the burn on her forearm. "You'll pay for that, boy, with your own blood," she promised.

Slipping her ring on, Kagome darted out of the safety of the barrier, hoping to draw Ki's attention away from Hitomu. It worked a little too well, she thought, as a ball of youki slammed her to the ground. _'I've really lost all the running and screaming skills I built up in the Sengoku Jidai,'_ she thought wryly, throwing up a small barrier of her own as another blast sailed her way.

The ball never connected; Hitomu swatted it away with his staff as he let loose a couple ofuda. "Call mother," he shouted to Kagome, leaning back and very narrowly avoiding Ki's dagger blade. "We're going to need some help here." He spun back, catching Ki in the side with his staff but getting a blast of youki for his efforts.

The youkai stood, panting, glaring and cracking her knuckles. "I've never truly tried out my power," she said mockingly, "It will be educational for me to use them to tear you limb from limb."

OoO**OoO**OoO

"Look, I've told you everything I know! Miyuki thinks it might be the jewel shards, but I don't know what to tell you!"

"They've never affected her like this before!"

"She's never been around so many youkai with them before," Miroku reminded InuYasha, pinching the bridge of his nose and refraining from smacking the youkai upside the head with his staff as he used to do when his alpha was being exceptionally stubborn. "Fine, if you're so sure it's not the shards, what do you think the problem is?"

InuYasha mumbled something so quietly Miroku couldn't pick it up. He sighed. "Not everybody has youkai hearing, InuYasha. If we're going to solve this problem, you're going to have to speak up."

InuYasha raised his head to glare at his beta, promises of a painful death in his eyes. "I said… she smells like me," he admitted. He'd noticed when hanging out the window earlier that morning. "Too much, because we haven't really been around each other lately."

Miroku sighed. "Well, that's interesting, and we can add that to the list of things we don't understand the reasoning for… unless you know something you're not telling me?"

InuYasha shook his head, irritation marring his face. The worst part about the whole thing was that nothing felt _wrong_ about the situation. His youkai blood, which seemed to speak up any time Kagome was concerned, was conspicuously silent.

"Maybe… maybe it's just because she's upset," Miroku suggested, in a tone of voice that made it obvious he was grasping at straws. "Maybe it's affecting her ability to purify youki, and that's why it's wrapping itself around her power like that?"

"But it hasn't affected the rest of her powers," InuYasha argued. "I saw you guys this morning. She was just as powerful… if not stronger… than she was the last time she was doing anything."

"I still think it has something to do with the shards," Miroku stubbornly maintained. "And if it is the shards, it might explain why she's been so damn moody."

"That's not true," Sango added, slipping into the office and shutting the door quietly. "At least, I don't think so."

InuYasha tilted his head back with a longsuffering sigh. "Damn it, what do you want," he muttered. His dismissive tone grated on Sango's already-stretched nerves.

"Kagome told me something last night," she said, getting straight to the point. "About Chiaki. But…" she bit her lip, sure her alpha was going to go straight through the roof at the admission, "I can't tell you what it is."

"_WHAT?_" InuYasha slammed his fists so hard onto his desk it cracked, eyes boring holes through Sango's face. "She fuckin'… I thought… _damn it,_" he spluttered, so angry he wasn't sure where he was going with his rant but sure it wasn't anywhere positive.

"That's right," Sango said, a bit of acid to her voice. "She trusted me to tell me what was going on, and wants me to keep it a secret from you." Sango had thought she'd like to see InuYasha squirm a bit, especially after hearing all of Kagome's worries the night before. Now, though, she just felt bad for him.

"InuYasha, I don't think she wants to get you involved because, well… I think she thinks you're over her, so to speak…"

InuYasha blinked, looking incredibly confused. "But I… that's stupid! Over at that ookami's dumb ranch we…"

"She told you she loved you," Sango broke in. "And if what she told me is true, you didn't respond." InuYasha looked away sheepishly. "And… Ayame kind of said something about all your past lovers."

InuYasha cringed, a blush creeping up his cheeks. Of course his exploits were fairly well-known… especially after the night with that one German chick… but nobody ever really _talked_ about them. _'Shit.'_ "But they didn't mean anything," he insisted, "You fucking know that! Didn't you tell her that? Why didn't she say anything to me?"

Miroku gave him a 'You've-got-to-be-kidding-me' look. "What was she supposed to say, InuYasha? She confesses her love for you, you don't say a word. 'Oh, hey, InuYasha, it's okay, I know you've been with dozens of other women so you must be over me…' This is _Kagome_ we're talking about. She'd do anything to see you happy… even if it means letting go."

InuYasha buried his face in his hands, a muffled _"Fuck!"_ escaping with a groan. "Damn it to all the hells… what the fuck am I supposed to do now?"

"Make it up to her?" Sango suggested dryly. "Be honest with her?" She was about to make a few more comments when her phone cut through the office. Her forehead crinkled as she frowned at the caller ID. "Kagome?"

InuYasha's ears perked toward the phone, though his face remained hidden.

"Was that Hitomu shouting behind you?" Sango's worried voice drew InuYasha's full attention, especially when Kagome's scream ripped through the ear-piece. "Where are you?" Setting the phone down and pressing the ear-piece closer to her face, Sango busied her other hand by checking for her guns. "We'll be right there!"

InuYasha was already standing, Tetsusaiga at the ready. "She said the park by the shrine, right?" He blessed his clearer senses as he leapt out the window at Sango's affirmative reply. _'Hold on, Kagome… I'm coming… I've been so stupid and now I'll make things right, as long as you hold on!'_

Looking at each other, Sango and Miroku raced out of the office, heading for the car as fast as they could move.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome shrieked as she rolled across the ground, narrowly dodging another attack. Apparently these movements were like riding a bike – you never really forgot how to avoid death with the best of them.

"You okay, Kagome?" Hitomu shouted, running up and deflecting another attack with a grunt. His powers were much weaker than Kagome's; he was losing his concentration and could only hope his family would arrive soon.

Kagome nodded, panting, and then realized he was facing away from her and wouldn't have seen the movement. "Fine," she groaned as she stood, "But we need to distract her so you can put up a barrier like the one at the shrine. Other people will hear this and come running."

Hitomu reluctantly agreed, knowing the energy it was going to take. "We need to keep her in this clearing. Not many people wander through here. I hate to ask but-"

"She's after me," Kagome said, "And I don't know how to make those kinds of barriers anyway… if I did it, I'd probably fry any youkai or hanyou trying to get in. Just do it!" She shoved away from Hitomu, ripping the shards off her neck and dangling them as she shouted to Ki, "You want these? Come and get them!"

Ki's red eyes narrowed. "That's not all I want from you, miko-child." With a wave of her arm, the ground near Kagome's feet began to rumble. Eyes wide, Kagome scrambled backward. "I need something else of yours."

"What do you want then?" Kagome shouted, trying to avoid the vines that had begun to erupt from the ground. For moment, she had a flashback of fighting Naraku in Mt. Hakurei. She yipped as one well-aimed vine snaked around her ankle, hoisting her into the air. The shards clinked to the ground.

Ki began a slow stalk toward her captive prey, ignoring the backlash of heat as a sound-dampening bubble formed around the area. "I do not know why my soul is in agony when you are nearby, but it is something I wish to rectify."

"Let me help you," Kagome offered breathily, reaching up to wrap her hands around the creeper tangled around her lower leg.

"You can help me," Ki said, charging her bloodied dagger with youki, "by dying!" As she flew toward the miko, Kagome's hands glowed with reddish-pink spiritual power, burning through the vine.

Kagome shrieked as she fell, bracing herself for an impact that came a lot faster than she anticipated. "KAGOME!"

Kagome knew these arms. These were safe arms. Nobody could hurt her here… "InuYasha!"

Setting her on her feet, InuYasha gave her a cursory look and sniff before determining she was mostly unhurt. He swung around, leveling Tetsusaiga at the vines. Before he could release a blow, though, Kagome threw herself at them.

"Kagome!"

"The shards," she hollered back, knowing she'd pissed him off by putting herself right back in harms way. _'Oh well, there's nothing else I could do. He'd probably blast the jewel into sparkly dust…'_

InuYasha spun to slice at Ki, who'd tried to manipulate the creepers into grabbing the miko again. "No you don't," he muttered, seeing through red-hazed eyes as the scent of Hitomu's blood was blown at him. _'Pack injured,' _his youkai blood howled, swearing vengeance for the pup.

Ki hissed, grasping at her stomach and backpedaling away from the angry hanyou. InuYasha turned to the vines; he released a Kaze no Kizu and shredded them the moment Kagome was out of range. As his attentions were drawn away, Ki slid into the woods, taking to the trees and making a narrow escape.

"Stop!" Kagome tried to stop the youkai as she fled, but was distracted by Hitomu's groan. The young man's exertions had caught up with him; Ki had managed to plunge her dagger into his shoulder. "Hitomu!" Sango and Miroku were already gathered around him. She shoved her way to the young man's side, "Can I try to heal him?"

Miroku nodded tersely, removing his hands from the worst wound. "Just this one, though. He doesn't have a talisman to absorb the youki in your powers," he cautioned. "Just close the wound."

Kagome nodded, focusing on the task. Within a moment, she slumped back. She'd done a little more than Miroku had encouraged: healed the muscle around the injury, too, so he'd have use of the arm sooner. She watched as Sango lifted her son, carrying him to the park's parking lot.

"Oi." Kagome jumped at the hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, you're fine now," InuYasha muttered. "I'll take you to see your family, c'mon."

Once her shards were safely stowed around her neck, InuYasha clutched her, as he'd wanted to do since he first saw her in this time period, and took to the trees. Kagome giggled, making the chance he was taking entirely worth it.

Kagome shot him a confused look as InuYasha settled them onto a broad branch of Goshinboku. "Gonna let ya' calm down before we see your folks," he answered, reclining and pulling her to his chest.

Kagome struggled briefly before giving in to the safe feeling she always had when they sat like this. _'He may make me angry… he may have moved on… but his arms are still the safest place in the world for me to be.'_

Looking around, she broke the silence. "I told Sango I'd miss seeing the night sky in the past… but I think I miss this more." She felt InuYasha's confusion and clarified, "Sitting in the tree in the middle of the woods. Listening to the birds and the wind and breathing the fresh air."

InuYasha nodded against her head. "Things were sort of more peaceful then," he agreed, "Even with all the youkai attacks. Then again, we wouldn't have had much time to relax in trees with all the wars and stuff going on."

Kagome sighed, snuggling back against his chest as a brisk wind picked up. "It'll be autumn soon," she mentioned. "Time goes by quickly when you're busy like this."

"Not quickly enough," InuYasha muttered. "But… I'd've waited another five hundred years to sit with you like this again," he said, muffling his voice in her hair. She stiffened a bit as she tried to make sense of what he'd said.

She smiled wryly. _'He can make me so mad just by opening his mouth… then he says something like that.'_ She knew it'd be a cold day in the hells before he actually apologized… that this was his way of trying to tell her he had missed her, that he'd been angry because he was hurt. Hitomu's words from earlier echoed in her head.

"You know, part of me wants to stay angry with you," she said, feeling him tense up. "But I really can't when you say stuff like that." He chuckled.

"Maybe I'll have to say stuff like that more often, then."

Kagome twisted her head around to look at his face. "Not too often, though. That'd just be… weird," she admitted, remembering all his nice overtures since they'd arrived back from the States.

InuYasha was about to bring up the subject of all their misunderstandings when a voice cut in from below them. "Are you two going to sit in the tree all day? Or are you going to come in and say 'hi' to your family, girl?"

"Jii-chan… we'll be down in a moment." Kagome sighed.

"We still have a lot of stuff to talk about," InuYasha murmured, wishing they could stay like that all day but knowing the wench wanted to see her family.

"Why don't I take you up on your dinner offer tonight," Kagome suggested with a bit of a smile on her face. "Think of it as an early birthday present."

"Hey that's right… that's this week, isn't it?" Kagome nodded and InuYasha smiled. "Deal. Now let's go get some ramen."

OoO**OoO**OoO

Ki stumbled through the door, clenching her arm painfully. Her blood had already begun healing the wound on her waist but the burn had been caused by spiritual power. Those wounds always hurt the worst and took the longest to heal…

A hand clenched around her throat, slammed her up against the wall. "You do not have the shards, Chiaki…"

Choking, Ki made a desperate bid for freedom, scratching at his hand. Giving her a jerk, he released her. She slumped to the floor, sucking in deep breaths. "I apologize, master… I was intercepted…"

"I can tell by the disgusting smell of your blood," Naraku said, looking down at his prize victim. "I shall not punish you this time. Next time, though, you will destroy the miko and bring the shards to me. Go bathe; you reek of humans and blood."

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)


	27. Chapter 26: Clarification

Pack Law

Chapter 26: Clarification

"Now, who can tell me what domain leaders were involved in forming the Satsuma-Choushuu Alliance?" The sensei paced around the room, gazing at each student in turn and taking a moment to view their notes, assuring herself that they were, in fact, paying attention to her lecture.

Smiling up as her sensei walked down her row, Kagome crossed her fingers under her desk that she wouldn't be called on. She'd had quite a late night, after all… in fact, her last several nights had been filled with a lot of education, but none of it school-related.

Her thoughts wandered to her plans tonight: it was her birthday and she was going to be surrounded by both friends and family! _`A much better birthday than last year,'_ she scoffed mentally, _`though I did meet InuYasha, so I guess it had its benefits… I could've done without the youkai attack, though.'_ She cringed as the sensei began discussing the homework she'd assign that night. _`Happy birthday, have some homework…'_

The desk in front of her was empty, fueling her somewhat bad mood. _`I'd feel better if Hitomu was doing better, too.'_ A few days after their confrontation with Ki at the park, Hitomu was still sleeping through most of the day. Miroku had assured her that his son would be fine, that he was just re-charging his batteries, so to speak, after the battle at the park too up most of his energy. Kagome had conceded the point reluctantly.

Kagome resisted the urge to turn and face the youkai responsible for Hitomu's weakened state as she heard frantic scratching. She'd done a fairly decent job of avoiding the girl… especially considering they shared most of their classes. Kagome huffed; Naraku'd done his job just a bit too thoroughly and, after hearing how he'd pretty much gone into hiding for 500 years, Kagome was beginning to share her pack-mates' suspicions concerning the girl and her "master's" plans.

Blue eyes blinked as a folded-up square of paper flipped over her shoulder and landed on her desk. _`Don't look, don't look, don't look…'_

But curiosity was one thing Kagome had in spades - even after a year in the Sengoku Jidai, when she'd often learned curiosity was a short-cut to losing a limb or possibly life, she just couldn't curb the tendency. Heaving a sigh, acknowledging the bad feeling in the back of her mind, Kagome unfolded the note under her desk.

_Kagome,_

_I know you've been avoiding me lately and after what happened this weekend, I really don't blame you._

_But, if your offer from last week still stands… about helping me, that is… I'd like to talk to you about it._ _I'll meet you by the tree in the courtyard._

_I won't hold it against you if you decide not to show up. I really don't deserve your help after what I've done._

_~Ki~_

Kagome blinked, re-reading the note a few times to make sure she was not just making this up. This young woman who had _quite adamantly_ refused her help suddenly wanted it? _`Seems kind of strange to me,'_ Kagome thought, feeling the prickle in the back of her head that something was wrong.

Then again, though… what if she was just starting to act and think too much like InuYasha? Was she growing jaded, having spent so much time around him lately? She was a miko, sworn to help and protect and nurture… could she really turn her back on somebody asking for her help, even if they had attacked her in the past?

Kagome worried her bottom lip, completely spacing out as she debated the pros and cons of helping a known enemy. On one hand, Ki had tried to kill her, tried to take the Shikon shards.

_`Then again… so did everybody else,'_ she thought wryly, flashing back to the night she met InuYasha. He may have admitted later he hadn't meant is seriously but that hadn't stopped her from being frightened then… _`And Miroku opened up his kazaana on InuYasha, and would have sucked him in if I hadn't jumped in the way.'_ Sango'd gone after InuYasha and the group, too, fueled by Naraku's lies.

_`Is that why Ki's been acting the way she has? Was Naraku lying to her? Did he convince her he was serious and then hurt her?'_ Kagome growled a bit under her breath before wondering to herself just _what_ habits she'd been picking up at the den…

Sighing to herself, knowing InuYasha would be absolutely _furious_ with her, Kagome picked up her pen and responded.

_Ki,_

_I could never say "no" to somebody who needs my help. I'll meet you at lunch._

_*Kagome*_

OoO**OoO**OoO

Sarah huffed, tapping her fingers agitatedly against the inside of her elbow. Taking care not to draw too much attention to herself, she scented the air. No luck… her prey was nowhere to be found. Nor was her ally…

"Tsuki? I'm getting kind of worried. Lunch is almost halfway done and I still haven't seen Kagome yet."

Leaning against the wall, Tsukiyoshi nodded, eyes narrowed and darting up and down the hall. "Something's wrong," he murmured. "I can't even feel her aura."

Sarah's eyes widened as she noticed the absence of another major pull on her aura. "The Shikon shards… I don't feel them anywhere nearby, either." She gasped. "I couldn't scent Ki, did you see her?"

Refusing to let his concern show on his face, Tsukiyoshi shook his head. "I passed her locker, but then she disappeared."

"I'm calling InuYasha," Sarah said determinedly, pulling out her cell phone. "Go scout around and see if you can pick up her scent," she ordered absentmindedly, fully focused on finding InuYasha's direct line. There was no time to beat around the bush with Jaken right now… she was absorbed enough in her task to miss the glare Tsukiyoshi shot her at being ordered around.

OoO**OoO**OoO

"_WHAT?!_" InuYasha slammed a tight fist on the dining room table, not even reacting to the _crack_ that reverberated from the force of his hit. He _did_ ease up on the cell phone he held in a white-knuckled grip as it, too, began to crack.

His voice was filled with wrathful frustration, "What the _fuck_ do you mean she's _`missing'_ from the school? How the fuck does that even happen?"

Arata and Sango, who'd been joining InuYasha for their own lunch, gazed wide-eyed at the hanyou. Both rose to their feet, ready to head out and search.

InuYasha barely noticed the women leaving; he never heard Sarah's meek response. Red haze threatened to overtake his vision as his youkai blood rose to the threat of his missing mate. _`Find her. Now._ _I cannot feel her!'_ This last statement was punctuated by a whine, crawling up InuYasha's throat and escaping before he could swallow it.

"Uncle Yasha?" The kit sounded so defeated…

"Hold tight. A crew's on their way now." He hung up the phone, forcing himself to take deep, calming breaths. They didn't work to ease the tension that'd begun to seep into his muscles.

_`Damn it, wench! We finally get things under control… we finally see mostly eye-to-eye again and you disappear…'_

InuYasha wandered to his bedroom robotically. _`Her scent, her scent… her scent will help keep me calm.'_ Flopping face-first onto the mattress, he again resorted to deep-breathing techniques. This time, Kagome's essence swirled in the air around him, lulling him into memories of the past few nights…

"_C'mon, wench. I ain't gonna bite you,' InuYasha said through a cocky smirk. Kagome hovered near the doorway… she remembered quite clearly what had happened the last night she was in that bed; it was obvious by the look on her face._ `I may not bite you… but that don't mean I don't want to.'

_Seeing that she wasn't going to move in either direction, InuYasha huffed and rose to his feet. Sweeping her into his arms, he tossed her onto the bed, sending her into a fit of giggles. "Teach you not to listen to your alpha, wench," he mock-growled, reclining next to her and burying his nose in the junction of her neck and shoulder._ `Kami, she smells so fantastic...'

"_InuYasha?" Kagome was still nervous; it was apparent in her scent. They'd cleared up a lot of things that night_ _at the restaurant after visiting her brother at the hospital, but there were still quite a few things left unsaid between them._

"_Yesh?" InuYasha mumbled, having thoroughly attached his lips to her shoulder, smirking as he felt her shudder._

_Kagome pushed at his chest (his bare chest, she noted with a bit of a blush._ `When did he take off his shirt?'_) futilely. She couldn't focus when he was doing that, darn him! "Y-you…" She gasped as his mouth moved up. His fangs scraped against her skin; he soothed the slight burn with his tongue. "S-s-stop th-that."_

_InuYasha groaned but obediently pulled away. She refused to look him in the eye, instead playing with the cool beads around his neck. It wasn't as though she wasn't enjoying the attention, but she had to know… "What… what am I to you?"_

_The hanyou blinked, caught off-guard by the blunt question._ _Apparently sensing his hesitancy, she continued rather quickly, "I mean, you've supposedly gained quite the… well, a_ reputation_, you know?" Her emphasis on the word left no doubt as to what she was referring to. "And I just want you to be happy so if it-"_

_His lips on her own stilled her sentence… heck, to be blunt, it completely derailed her train of thought. After a few moments, InuYasha traced her lips with the tip of his tongue, encouraging her to let him show her rather than making him use his clumsy words…_

_Kagome panted lightly as InuYasha finally pulled away, resting his forehead on hers and cupping her cheek with a hand. He could still see hesitancy in her eyes, and for once actually understood it. Of course, if he had a reputation, as she said, for being physical, he wouldn't be able to use actions to express himself, would he? He sighed._ `Women are so damn complicated…'

_But Kagome deserved answers, damn it, and he knew it. "K'gome," he mumbled, trying to marshal his thoughts into a coherent conversation that wouldn't make him out to be a complete and utter wuss._ `You're my heart? My soul? My reason for living?' _Yeah, those wouldn't get his ass kicked if they ever came up in conversation…_

_His human heart thumped loudly in his chest. He knew, on a fairly instinctual level, that this was a fairly important moment in their relationship and would quite probably define it from this moment forward._ `She doesn't want to know to talk about with her friends,' _his heart whispered,_ `She wants to know if you love her as much as she loves you.'

"_Kagome," he tilted her head up, so he was looking into her eyes. Fuck not showing weakness, she_ was _his weakness and she needed to know it._ _"You're-" He stopped, gulped… why was this so fucking difficult?! He_ knew _how she felt, damn it, so why couldn't he say the same thing? "You're-my-mate," he said in a rush, closing his eyes in a move he_ knew _was cowardly but couldn't stop._

_Kagome gasped but he continued. The dam he'd constructed around these feelings crumbled after over five centuries of shoring up and his emotions spiraled more out of control than on any of his human nights. "I_ _live_ _for you, because of you. I breathe easier when I'm near you and can breathe your scent. I need you. I need you by my side, with me, as a part of me. Fuck, Kagome, you_ are _a part of me." He_ _dared to crack open his eyes. The shock on Kagome's face was well worth the disorienting emotions rushing out of him like a river._

"_Every year without you was like a hundred._ _Watching Sango and Miroku and even that bastard of a brother of mine fall in love and have kids while I was all alone killed me inside." Kagome let out a sob, wrapping her arms around him. He took in a shaky breath._

"_You're mine, Kagome. That's what you are to me. Mine. Mine to cherish and protect and hold and fight with." The last bit pulled an encouraging giggle from the young woman in his arms. He sighed and pulled her tighter against his chest, reveling in her warmth._ _As much as he squirmed inside at the idea of having spilled his guts like that, he felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It_ _was like defeating Ryukotsusei_ _and realizing Tetsusaiga was nearly feather-light again._

_Kagome shook against him and only then did he realize she was fighting back tears. "Kagome?"_

"_I'm so sorry I left you all alone," she mumbled. She lost the battle with her tears as they began rolling down her cheeks. She sniffled and he swore his heart skipped a beat._ `Feh. I'm turning into a fucking wuss,' _he bemoaned mentally but yet couldn't find it in him to be too pissed about the change. He wiped her cheeks with his thumbs and gave her a small smile._

"_You didn't leave me all alone. I broke the well, and I know that now. I… I shouldn't have doubted you," he admitted._

_Kagome shook her head lightly. "No, it's okay. It's something you expected, I know. K-Kikyou… she hurt you, when you guys were tricked by Naraku. It's only natural that you'd fear I'd do the same thing, right?"_

"_NO!" he said forcefully, rolling onto his back and dragging her to lie on his chest. "No," he repeated. "I shouldn't have thought that. We may have fought a lot, but you swore to be by my side and I should have known you wouldn't leave me without a damn good reason."_

_Kagome nodded. "I would never hurt you on purpose," she mumbled._

_InuYasha chuckled, "Other than with the occasional `osuwari,' right?" She blinked, and then shifted, reaching for the beads. Confused, InuYasha watched as she began tugging them up…_

"_No," he caught her hands, eyes wide. "No, these stay right where they are."_

_Kagome gazed at him in confusion. "But- but you_ hated _the beads," she stuttered._

"_I hate the idea of hurting you even more," he said, staring at her very seriously. "These beads are the last line of defense you have if I ever transform. Sure, I have more control now because I'm older. But we never know what will happen. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt any of my friends… especially you."_

"_You'd never hurt me," Kagome insisted, trying to tug her hands out of his grasp. "I know you wouldn't."_

_InuYasha clenched his hands a little tighter against the miko's struggles. "You may know that, but I don't. And I don't want to take a chance, either." She pouted; the look brought a genuine and rare smile to his face. "Oi, that ain't to say I don't appreciate the gesture, wench. If you wanna do something for me… just… don't flatten me in front of people unless it's a life-or-death situation, `kay?" He_ _sighed at her nod. "I don't fucking deserve how much you trust me."_

"_You deserve all the happiness in the world, InuYasha," Kagome mumbled, lowering her head again to the hollow of his neck and shoulder. Her breath brought goose bumps to his skin but was oddly warming._ _Then she reached up to kiss him on the underside of the jaw and his instincts almost went haywire._

`She's submitting!' _His blood sang, speeding through his veins._ `She is ours and we are hers. Take her!' _InuYasha choked at the command._ `No. Not now. We fucking just finished fighting!'

_All of the self-control in the world, though, couldn't stop him from flipping them over, so he hovered above her. Then she was reaching up, kissing him, running her hands over his chest and back, and the fragile hold on his control snapped._

InuYasha snapped back to the present, berating himself for getting lost in memories when his mate was missing. _`Fuck, her scent is doing anything but calming me down.'_ He shifted uncomfortably, rolling on his back. A glint of silver caught his eye; the box holding Kagome's talisman was on the bedside table. He'd shown it to her just the night before. She was so angry at the Council for saying she wasn't a member of the pack…

"_I'm kind of confused though," Kagome said, staring at the fang hanging from the chain._

"_What's that?" Now in a pair of baggy hakama, he settled on the bed, watching her stare at the necklace appraisingly._

"_Well, it's your fang, right? Because we're a part of your pack. You're our alpha." InuYasha nodded, wondering where she was going with this. "So why was the chain forged with Sesshoumaru's hair? He's not our alpha, technically, is he?"_

_Damn his bitch asked complicated questions. "Well, yes and no." He rubbed the back of his head, meeting Kagome's blank look with a wry smile. "Basically, no, he's not Miroku's alpha. Or Sango's or Shippou's or any other pack members'. He'll be_ our _alpha because he's Inu no Taisho, and because I'm his beta, you'll be Tomomi's beta."_

_Kagome nodded slowly. "Oookay. So then why use Sesshoumaru's hair?"_

_He leaned back against the headrest. "Well, for starters, it was something the bastard offered as part of a deal to have me be his beta," he replied. "I wasn't about to leave our pack to help_ him. _And I wasn't going to give him something for nothing." She glared at him for the statement; he smirked._

"_It will also protect you guys," he continued. For a moment, he sounded like he had back in the Sengoku Jidai, "I wasn't strong enough to do it because I'm hanyou. My youki isn't strong enough. Also, when I transform or get really angry, it affects my youki and my body's not strong enough to handle it. Sesshoumaru's youki keeps mine in check. Otherwise my bad mood could affect everybody else, you know?"_

_Kagome nodded, looking deep in thought as she stared at the talisman._

InuYasha jerked out of the memory at the rapping at his door. "Yeah?"

Arata slid in, looking rather somber as she stared across the room. "We couldn't find her," she said, getting straight to the point. "Your miko is missing and so is the youkai at her school that was working for Naraku. We still have no clue where Naraku is located, and none of the pups have a good lock on Chiaki's youki since she was under concealment at the school."

InuYasha's low growl turned into a frustrated howl. "Fucking _find her_," he said, rising and stalking toward her angrily. "Don't fucking come talk to me and tell me what you can't do. We have cell phones; get your ass back into the field."

Nodding curtly, Arata spun on her heel and strode out of the room. Wheeling around, InuYasha slumped on the bed again, head in his hands as he wracked his brains. _`Where the fuck would she have gone?'_

_`InuYasha? InuYasha, you have to come for me…'_ InuYasha's eyes widened as Kagome voice echoed through his head. A moment later, he almost fell backward as something tugged hard on his youki, feeling as though somebody had grabbed him and pulled him backward. He grabbed his cell, calling Miroku as he began to move toward the pull.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome groaned. _`Did anybody get the number of the bus that hit me?'_ she wondered vaguely. Her head began to pound and it was only after she realized she couldn't bring her hands up to her eyes that she noticed they were tied behind her back.

"What the-"

She forced her eyes open, blinking rapidly as the light burned. The moment her eyes adjusted, she swept them across the room. _`Fairly empty room… I'm tied to a bed… there's a window but I can't see anything but the sky.'_ She grumbled a bit; the room was facing the wrong direction for her to see the sun, or even tell what time of day it was. _`How long was I out?'_

Her gaze fell on the door, which was partially open, showing a rather dark hallway. Focusing, she heard music coming faintly from somewhere outside of her room.

Falling back on the bed, she wracked her memories, trying to figure out just how she had ended up in this predicament. _`Okay, Kagome, think. You were going to meet Ki at the tree outside the school at lunch. She wanted your help. Got out there and waited for Ki… then… somebody hit me from behind?'_ The throbbing on the back of her head intensified as though amplified by the memory.

"Hello?" Kagome threw caution to the wind and called out, hoping her captors would at least come enlighten her on her current situation. Usually those who kidnapped her wanted to gloat, since they assumed she would not live through the ordeal. It tended to be really informative.

"Oh, you're awake." Ki wandered into the room, narrow-eyed. "It'd be incredibly helpful if you could just drop that barrier around the Shikon…"

"Eh?" Kagome shifted a bit, trying to see the chunk of jewel on her neck, but only received a renewed throbbing in her head for her efforts. "Well, I didn't do that. Not on purpose, anyway… Where am I? What time is it?"

Ki tilted her head. "You're awfully full of questions, aren't you? And way too calm about this."

Kagome shrugged as best she could. "Eh… I've done this kidnapping thing a time or two." It occurred to her that she was a lot less frightened than she usually was. In fact, she actually felt kind of angry about the whole thing. _`How dare she trick me like that? I just wanted to help!'_

Ki blinked. "You've… been kidnapped before?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah. A couple times. You can untie me, you know." Ki looked skeptically at the miko. "Really, it's not like I know where I am. That means I really can't run anywhere. And besides, it's really just safer for me to stay here until InuYasha can arrive. That way he won't have to run all over looking for me later." Kagome vaguely wondered if she'd finally snapped under the pressure of all the youkai and Shikon business she'd had to deal with over the past year. She really shouldn't be handling this as calmly as she was…

Ki lifted an eyebrow. "You think it's… safer. To stay here. With… the person who kidnapped you and is working with your arch-nemesis."

Kagome half-shrugged again. "Hey, there could be dangerous guard-youkai. Or people controlled by the Shikon… though I don't really feel any single shards. We never really know what to expect with Naraku, and I don't see a bow anywhere nearby."

Obviously questioning the miko's sanity, Ki sighed and waved her hand. The ropes binding Kagome's hands slackened. Twisting, Kagome figured it out. _`Oh yeah, earth youkai. Vines. Makes sense. Darn… there really won't be any using the rope to escape.'_ She sighed but looked up at her captor. Better to play nice than to pick a fight, especially if she wasn't going to be monologue-ing about her "amazing master's awesome plan."

Kagome blinked. _`When did I get so darn sarcastic?'_ Her stomach grumbled and she shot a deadpan look to the youkai. "You know, you could have kidnapped me after lunch," she complained. "Now I'm starving. And I get really, really grumpy when I'm hungry."

Ki rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't know why, but my Master insists you're treated with the utmost respect."

The miko wisely bit back a scoff. _`Respect. Where does kidnapping me fall on the list of respectable ways to treat a victim?'_ "Does that mean I get something to eat?" she asked instead.

"Don't go anywhere," Ki cautioned. "I _am_ going to lock this door while I get you some food."

Kagome nodded. "Sure, sure. I'm telling you, I won't go anywhere until InuYasha comes." At Ki's disbelieving look, Kagome raised an eyebrow. "What? I told you: I've done this before. InuYasha _will_ come save me. It's kind of what we do." Ki shrugged and wandered out of the room, closing the door with a _click._

Kagome groaned, shaking out her hands and cringing as they tingled. She'd obviously been out long enough to mess with her blood flow a bit more than she'd like…

Looking at her hand, she realized her ring was still firmly attached to her finger and glowing a bright red, rather than the pink she'd grown to know. She stared at it, again reminded of the youki filtering into her powers. _`Is it because of my ring?'_

Anger boiled in her stomach… anger and despair, both completely foreign to her. Those weren't her emotions at all. She wasn't lying when she said she knew InuYasha was coming for her…

Kagome gasped as everything came together in her brain with a _click_ so loud she feared it was audible. _`That's right! He told me last night! "When I transform or get really angry, it affects my youki and my body's not strong enough to handle it._ _Sesshoumaru's youki keeps mine in check. Otherwise my bad mood could affect everybody else, you know?"'_ She stared at the ring, at the youki swirling around her hand to blend with the pink of her reiki. _`That jerk! This ring is made of his fang… but doesn't have anything of Sesshoumaru's in it! He's making me as grumpy as he usually is!'_

Raising her left hand above her right, she let a bit of spiritual power flow into her fingers. _`Please work…'_ She caressed her power-filled fingers slowly over the ring. _`InuYasha?'_

Shock and confusion poured from the ring. _`Bingo.'_

Concentrating one more time, she repeated the caress. `_InuYasha, you have to come for me…'_ With that thought, she reached for the tendrils of youki and pulled.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.) Arata is the creation of the fabulous Phalon - I've done a bit of tweaking, but she is for all intents and purposes not mine.


	28. Chapter 27: To The Rescue

Pack Law

Chapter 27: To The Rescue

"Ow! Fuck, fuck, _fuck! _Shit… owwww_,_" InuYasha hissed as he leapt from building to building, absolutely ignoring all the rules suggesting he keep his feet firmly planted on the ground when in an area where unsuspecting humans could see. _'It fuckin' burns!'_

Concealed from people below in a bubble-like barrier, Miroku and Sango swept down on Kirara. InuYasha had just been tearing across Tokyo; what in kami-sama's name would stop him _now?_

InuYasha panted and winced, hands on his knees. Just as quickly as the burning had begun, it flickered and stopped. He had enough time to take a breather before it returned full-force, hitting so hard he went to his knees.

'_I'm so sorry; I know it hurts!'_ InuYasha blinked rapidly, thoroughly distracted from the burning sensation. _'Kagome?'_ The first voice in his head hadn't been his… he knew his friends would call him crazy, but he could have sworn he heard Kagome again.

"InuYasha!" Landing on the roof near the hanyou, Miroku hurried over. "What's wrong? One minute you're running like a bat out of hell, the next minute you're acting like you're in pain…" He gasped, and then reached out and grabbed a handful of InuYasha's hair.

"Fuck! Don't yank on my head; that's attached, moron! What the hell are yo-" For the second time in only a few moments, he found himself blinking with astonishment. He had black streaks in his hair… "What the _hell_ is going on?!"

Miroku studied his alpha closely. "Have you been near any purification energy?"

"I was fine when I left," InuYasha all but screamed. "What the hell kind of energy would purify me without…" He stopped, staring at his thankfully-still-clawed hands thoughtfully. "Kagome."

"What?" Sango joined the discussion in confusion, looking from her husband to InuYasha in interest. "Did you just suggest Kagome was purifying you? How could she do that without being near you?" She looked about, as if expecting to see Kagome standing on a nearby rooftop.

InuYasha pinned his companions with a look, daring them to refute him. "I-I heard her. In my head. It was like she was pulling me this way." He held up his hand when Miroku looked like he would interrupt. "About halfway here, it started to burn. What if that was her?"

Miroku's eyes widened in understanding. "You said she smelled like you. She had youki mixed in with her spiritual powers… you think she was somehow absorbing through you? And now can contact you mentally?"

InuYasha huffed. "I know it sounds crazy but what the hell else could it be?"

Sango bit her lip thoughtfully. "But you don't know how she's doing it?"

"N-no… but that don't mean she ain't," InuYasha insisted. "Anyway, I can still jump fine and it don't hurt any more. Let's go." He put actions to words, taking off and leaping in the direction he'd been going. _'Hang on, Kagome. Just hang on until I can get there…'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

'_I swear it; I'm going to kick her…'_ Ki scrubbed irritably at a pan, wondering if the kidnapped miko would object to oden for dinner. _'She better not. She's lucky Master Naraku ordered me to feed her in the first place or I'd have torn her limb from limb…'_

At the thought of her master, she huffed, scouring at the pan angrily. She'd very easily kidnapped Kagome from the school; a strong fist to the back of the neck did wonders. Ki had hoisted up her prize and brought her back to the lair Naraku had fashioned only to find it empty.

'_Where could he have gone?'_ Ki sighed. She'd found a note on her bed explaining that he was on a very important mission, and to make sure Kagome was comfortable. He'd also warned Ki there would be dire consequences if she failed him…

'_What could be so important that he'd go himself instead of sending me? He used to make Ken do all his dirty work…'_ She'd wondered, while studying the note, if he had somehow lost faith in her since her recent efforts to grab the Shikon shards Kagome possessed had been thwarted. Frustrated, feeling as though all her hard work had been in vain, Ki had tossed on some music and decided to take a nap. She'd whacked Kagome pretty strongly in the back of the head; the miko would likely be out for quite a while.

Of course, the nap had been anything but comforting and restful. Ki sighed, slicing carrots and potatoes. Images from her dream came back to her: she'd been standing in a similar fashion, only on a chair to reach the counter. She laughed as a woman – her mother? – sang a silly song. A younger girl laid under the blanket at the kotatsu, shivering and coughing slightly.

Ki shook at the dream took full force in her mind. _A man with red eyes, watching her play outside… picking up a pretty piece of stone _– a jewel shard, she realized now – _the man patting her on the head, asking her for the pretty black rock… the horrible smile that crossed his face…_

The youkai whimpered, kept chopping but closed her eyes against the thoughts, the pictures… the memories? They flooded her brain…

_The red-eyed man wielded a knife. Blood… screaming… crying… the flash of sirens and knowing the kind woman was dead, body still huddled around a child-Ki… talking to a man in blue, holding a blood-stained teddy bear and wondering what would happen, what had happened…_

_The same, scary man _– Naraku? The eyes were the same, his calculating smile… but he'd looked so much different, so obviously Japanese and mortal, except those eyes – _talking to the officers, gesturing wildly and crying for some reason… Then he held her, wiped her eyes with a cold handkerchief that smelt sweet… kind of fruity… then everything went black._

A sharp pain shot up Ki's arm; she stared, almost disconnected, at the blood welling up on her finger. _'Such a weird feeling,'_ she mused, watching the skin knit itself back together. She knew, deep down, she had not always been youkai. She had the same instinctive needs as a human… were the dreams she kept having… possibly memories?

'_It couldn't be. The girl in the dreams was a child – I do not have that mentality. Master Naraku may sometimes be cruel but he would never go so far as to harm a child, would he?'_ Ki sighed, head tipped back as though the ceiling held the answers she craved. She'd been having such unsettling dreams lately, this one shouldn't come as a surprise and yet she couldn't shake the effects…

Setting the pot on to boil, filled to the brim with food, Ki allowed herself a satisfied smile. Naraku did not eat, not having a corporeal form for the most part, but he enjoyed the various smells from her cooking. It was a matter of pride to Ki: she could provide for her master, if need be, as he provided clothing and shelter in turn for her.

Ki wasn't sure how long she sat in the kitchen, trying to think of anything but those frightening, bloody dreams… _'Why the hell am I frightened? I am youkai; I am stronger than this!'_ She rose, scooping the food onto dishes and grabbing the kettle for tea. Perhaps the miko, as insufferable as she could be, would prove to be a better distraction.

Kicking the door back open, Ki caught Kagome snatching her hands behind her back, apparently trying to cover up her face with an innocent look but failing rather spectacularly. "Did anybody ever tell you that you can't lie worth a damn?" Ki questioned dryly, setting down the food.

"Oden!" Kagome gasped happily, ignoring Ki's comment. She bounced up, then groaned and put a hand to the back of her head. She hissed. "You couldn't have hit me a little lighter, could you? I'm going to have a headache for a week," Kagome grumbled.

"You'll live," Ki shot back. _'Insolent little bitch, isn't she?'_

Again, Kagome ignored Ki's reply, this time to dig into the food. Ki quirked an eyebrow at the girl's happy look. _'At least she won't complain about dinner…'_

"This is delicious, thank you!" Kagome looked up with a smile. "Usually by this time I'd have been threatened a few times, or someone would have tried to control me… or my captors would have tried to cook me," she added thoughtfully. "I can't think of any that actually cooked _for_ me before."

She stopped, choking a little at a stray thought, and then gazed at the bowl as though seeing it for the first time. "Y-you… you didn't poison this or anything, right?"

Ki scoffed. "For whatever reason, Master Naraku said to treat you well." Meeting Kagome's dry look she added, "And I found that out after knocking you out, so that doesn't count. Still, poisoning would be breaking his rules."

Kagome blinked down at her dish, biting her lip. Sighing, Ki crossed the room and snatched a bit of meat from the bowl. "Here, look." She popped it in her mouth, making exaggerated moans of delight and earning a scowl for her troubles. "There, I ate some, too. And you can't suggest the bowl was poisoned, because I ate food from your bowl. Would I do that if it were dangerous?"

Kagome studied her dish quietly, looking back at Ki with narrowed eyes. After a few moments, she shrugged and dug back in.

OoO**OoO**OoO

InuYasha groaned, looking out over the group of warehouses. He'd gotten to this point before whatever was tugging on him suddenly vanished. He feared that if it were Kagome, something had happened to her… _'You'd better be okay, wench!'_

Panting, Kirara landed next to him. Miroku and Sango stared out over the area. "So she's somewhere in there," Sango said, more of a musing question. InuYasha snorted and nodded.

"Yeah. Whatever was dragging me here is gone now, though."

"You don't think-"

"I don't know," InuYasha interrupted Sango's worried sentences. "But I _do_ know that just sitting here ain't doing a damn bit of good. She's gotta be in there, I can feel the shards… but I can't figure out exactly where they're at." He sniffed the air thoughtfully, but his shoulders drooped. "Her scent's all over the damn place, too. Don't smell like Naraku's nearby, though."

Miroku put up his hand. "We should act with caution, though. Remember that he doesn't have a real body, so his scent may be diminished… if there is one at all."

"No splitting up then, right?" Sango checked her guns. "It won't be safe."

Miroku agreed, and then chuckled. "Who would've thought Naraku would take up residence in an abandoned warehouse? Castles used to be more his style… this just seems cliché. I feel like we're in a dumb American action movie."

InuYasha rolled his eyes, not deigning the lech with a response, and then leapt off the roof. _'Kagome… hang on. Wait for me.'_

OoO**OoO**OoO

"I'm just saying it isn't plausible," Ki argued, fists clenched at her side. _'She's so damn infuriating!'_

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You're a youkai. I'm a miko." She fingered the chunk of Shikon around her neck. "We have part of a super-powerful jewel right here with us. You can order plants to do whatever you want… and you don't believe in _time travel_?" Kagome stared wide-eyed at the girl, obviously incredulous.

Ki scoffed. "I didn't say that. I just think the whole well story is a fake, that's all. A cover, probably."

"What, like my brother is some sort of super-genius and made a time-machine? Yeah, right." It was Kagome's turn to scoff. "Don't you think if it were some sort of time machine, I'd be able to use it whenever I wanted? I wouldn't have missed so many stupid tests if I could've carried it with me."

Throwing up her hands, Ki leaned against the wall. "I didn't say you could carry it around, either! Stop putting words in my mouth!" She was amused by how red the miko seemed to be growing. Apparently, Kagome didn't like being called a liar. "A well just doesn't have the power to go through time! I can understand a phone booth," she continued, "or even a car because of the electricity and stuff. But a well? A well can't move," she reasoned.

"It's a _magic_ well," Kagome pointed out, teeth clenched, "so it really doesn't have to follow science fiction laws. Or the laws of physics. Magic just… is."

"Prove it," Ki demanded.

"What?"

"I said 'prove it,' and if you can, I'll admit you were right." Actually, she'd do no such thing, but it was still rather entertaining to argue with this girl.

Kagome blushed, though it was hardly visible through the red face she sported from the argument Ki had started. "I-I…" she played with the fabric of her skirt. "I can't," she admitted. "You see, a while ago, InuYa-"

"Suuuuure. Make excuses," Ki drawled. "How incredibly convenient that the _oh-so-magical_ well suddenly doesn't work." Ki chuckled, wondering if all the blood flow in Kagome's body had to have stopped for her face to look that bright…

Kagome huffed. "InuYasha will back me up when he gets here," she declared, crossing her arms. "So there."

Ki cocked an eyebrow. "You seem really sure this InuYasha is going to come for you. But my Master told me InuYasha loved _me_… so why would he be with you? How can you trust him?"

Taken aback, Kagome stared. "You… I-InuYasha… wait, _what_?"

"I don't get it, either," Ki shrugged. "But Naraku never lies to me."

"How can you trust him?" Kagome shot back, actually taking a great deal of pleasure in throwing those words back at Ki and realizing the anger was only partially her own. _'How dare she question our relationship?'_ Kagome conveniently ignored the fact that she'd been doing the same thing just a week ago…

Ki glared at Kagome, a look that would have frozen a lesser person in their tracks. "You don't know what you're talking about. I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut before I happen to forget I ever saw the note Master left for me."

"He left you a note?" Kagome asked. "He's not even _here_?" It crossed her mind that she hadn't felt the other jewel shards and suddenly felt foolish. She should have known that already. "Where did he go?" she asked, hoping she could finally get some information.

It became quite clear that wherever her enemy was, Ki wasn't too pleased. "Shut up and stop asking stupid questions," the youkai snarled, grabbing the dirty dishes and marching out the door, slamming it behind her.

Kagome stared at her ring, rubbing it. She refused to show it to Ki, but that comment about him loving Ki… it was ridiculous, wasn't it? _'He didn't even know who she was when she showed up outside the Council meeting,'_ she reminded himself.

'_What if he was just putting on a front, though?'_ The thought came from nowhere, and Kagome shook it out of her head the moment it appeared. _'No, he's not _that_ good of an actor. Besides, Ki said Naraku told her InuYasha loved her, not that she'd experienced it herself.'_ She was somewhat mollified by this statement, though the follow-up thought took a few moments to kick in.

'_Wait, does that mean Ki really is part of Kikyou?'_ A wave of frustration washed over her – not hers, but InuYasha's. She stared at the ring again for a moment. She knew it hurt him to talk to him… probably because of her spiritual powers. She could feel the burning pain as she tried to talk to him. But it had been working, InuYasha had been feeling hopeful, which had to mean something…

Pulling her wits together, she gathered her powers and tugged at his youki again. _'Come find me, InuYasha! Ki's out of the room… hurry!'_ She weakened the power in her fingers, so only the lightest pulse connected her to him, hoping it was still strong enough to draw him.

'_I wonder if there's a way to alter this so he can talk back,'_ Kagome mused, keeping an eye on the door. Unfortunately, the window was quite out of her reach; there would be no self-made escape plans unless she suddenly learned to fly.

"KAGOME!" The miko threw up her arms to shield her face as InuYasha came sailing through the glass, landing in a crouch. Shards scraped across part of her skin, cutting her collarbone and upper arms.

Kagome gasped as she got a good look at InuYasha: his usually silver hair was peppered with black strands… and his eyes were an intriguing shade of dark purple, speckled with gold.

'_Oh no! He's not as strong if he's purified!'_ She shot up, running to InuYasha who gathered her in a hug. "I'm so, so, so sorry," she mumbled, "I didn't want to purify you. I didn't know how to do it without hurting you. Oh kami, you've got to be so angry with me…" She realized she was babbling, she _knew_ she was crying and that her tears always freaked InuYasha out but she couldn't stop herself.

"Kagome!" He shook her lightly. "Look at me!" She couldn't. She couldn't look into those funny-colored eyes and feel anything but ashamed. _'What kind of mate would do that?'_

Seeing she wasn't going to respond, he hooked a finger under her chin and forced her face up. "I'm fine," he soothed, ears trained on the door. "I'm fine. You did what you had to. Where's Naraku?"

Kagome wasn't given enough time to answer. The door flew off their hinges in toward the room; InuYasha cut through it with a clean swipe of his Tetsusaiga. He shoved Kagome behind him in the same movement, noting Sango had her guns loaded and trained on the young woman at the door.

"Ah, InuYasha. I was wondering when you'd arrived," Ki purred. Kagome bristled at her tone. InuYasha growled a warning to both of the women: Kagome to stay behind him, and Ki to stay out in the hallway. Neither listened.

Kagome gasped, inadvertently drawing InuYasha's full attention as she shot out to the right, near where Miroku was standing. Eyes moving ahead of her, he realized why: the glass from the window had cut the necklace the jewel was on; the shards lay on the ground where anybody could pick them up.

Too heavily focused on Kagome's movements, InuYasha was torn from making sure she was safe by the sounds of Sango shooting. Ki muscled her way into the room, vines snaking out from the walls. Still quick on his feet though he was purified, but not fast enough, InuYasha grunted as Ki barreled into him with a laugh.

"Fuck," he breathed, rubbing what was most definitely a cracked rib lightly and wincing. He pushed the pain to the back of his head as the sounds of his friends fighting the vines snuck through the haze.

Sango had dropped her guns, he noticed, and was relying on her wakizashi to fend off the vines. Like snakes, they approached from all sides, all heights; the taijya spun and ducked, cussing under her breathe as she tried to fight her way toward her husband or Kagome.

"Damn it all," InuYasha muttered, realizing there was no room to use his more powerful attacks. One "kaze no kizu" would clear the room of creepers… and probably bring the whole place down. As it was, they were just barely able to maneuver in the room with all of them and the vines… he swiped at some of the vines, which tried to tangle themselves around his neck.

Kirara snarled, sinking her teeth into a larger vine, and then shrinking to her kitten form to more easily slip through the creepers. Climbing around, she braced herself to leap onto Ki's back, but was caught mid-air. Hissing and spitting, she tried to flare up into her larger size once more before beginning to cough as the vines began to cut off her air supply.

"Kirara!" Sango spun, slicing through the creepers, focused on freeing her companion. The slayer moved like a blur but was no match for the earth youkai; within moments, she was strung up next to the neko youkai, vines creeping around her body, over her mouth and chest. Angry, Sango continued to writhe futilely. Kirara let out a whine as she slowly faded out of consciousness.

InuYasha dug his claws into his upper arm, smothering them with blood. "Hijinketsusou!" A mass of creepers swarmed in front of the blow, refusing to release their prisoners. InuYasha rolled to the left, barely avoiding getting his head taken off. _'Fuck, but it's hard to focus on the creepers and the youkai bitch at once…'_

Ki cackled. "You move so smoothly, InuYasha. Why are you with a useless little girl like her when you could meet your match in me?"

InuYasha blinked, shaking his head and pushing himself to his feet. He spun, slashing at the vines nearby and daring to take a glance at Kagome, who was fending the sneaking vines off with small bits of lighting of her power. _'She's gonna be exhausted soon…'_

Miroku had never cursed the lack of his kazaana more as he saw his wife hung up, caught by the enemy and left dangling helpless. He bit his lip; losing his mind wouldn't help matters any. Spinning, Miroku saw Kagome holding her own. He tossed some ofuda her way, burning away some roots that had attempted to creep up behind them.

"It's like fighting Naraku all over again," Kagome shouted, sending a fireball of power to one corer and jumping up over a snaking vine the next second. "These aren't going to end unless somebody knocks out Ki!"

Miroku nodded his agreement, not wasting his oxygen with unnecessary words as he twirled his staff. There wasn't room to create even a small barrier; with the way InuYasha was hopping around, he'd probably crash into it, and that'd do nothing but distract him.

"What the fuck are you going on about?" InuYasha asked, turning his attention back to Ki. She remained in the center of the room, looking amused with the various battles being fought. After a moment, she twisted back toward the hanyou, a smirk on her face.

"You surround yourself with insignificant humans," she drawled. "When you could be so much more. You used to love me; you could love me again."

InuYasha was brought up straight at this comment, head quirked in confusion. "Loved you? Who the fu- ahhhhh!" Ki chuckled menacingly; while InuYasha was focused on her, a clump of vines with small purple flowers on them pierced his shoulder, releasing a dangerous toxin into his bloodstream.

'_It burns! Fuck!'_ InuYasha scrabbled at his shoulder with his left hand, slicing through the poisonous creepers and tugging them out of his shoulder.

"It's too late," Ki snarled, "The poison has already entered your body; you'll be burned from the inside out!"

Kagome cried out suddenly as she clawed at the vines picking her up. Her hands glowed a pale red as she burned the creepers away. The red intensified as InuYasha fell to his knees, scrabbling at the floor in agony as the poison seemingly burned through his body.

Miroku spun, swung his staff to cut Kagome free; she fell to the floor with an "oomph" and a _thud_. As he focused on freeing the miko, he was caught unawares by the vines snaking across the floor. They wrapped around his ankles, lifting him into the air upside-down and twisting around the arm holding his shajoku. His hand went numb; the staff fell to the floor, jingling loudly.

With a wave of Ki's hand, InuYasha was easily overwhelmed by the vines. He tried to roll, only to find Ki's foot pressed against his exposed throat. Growls could be heard, muffled by the vines but unmistakable.

Ki laughed. "I dreamed of you and me, you know. We could have been together, but that girl tore us apart!" Motioning with her arm, creepers snuck around Kagome's body, holding her hand apart and behind her, and removing the jewel shards from her hand. Clasping the shards, Ki smirked. "But no, you insisted you wanted to be with her. So I'll let you be together – in death!"

The vines binding InuYasha's body gripped tighter, his holler of pain almost drowned out by the cracking of his shoulder and ribs. With a howl, InuYasha's head fell back, peppered hair steaming across the ground. Then his body began to pulse. Confused and a big unnerved by the turn of events, Ki began backing out of the room.

"InuYasha!" The hanyou's body thrummed as Kagome called out, the youkai reacting to the fear in her voice. The miko figured this out too late, clasping her hand over her mouth as the hanyou-turned-youkai lifted crimson and teal eyes to the group.

'_Those eyes…'_ Ki was suddenly thrust back into her dream… the eyes were different and yet they were that same crimson color… the color of blood… blood… the bloodied bodies…

Ki gasped, clutched at her stomach, only aware a moment later that InuYasha had freed himself and had torn a gaping wound into her belly. She slumped to the ground, bleeding freely. _'Blood…'_

The humans in the room cried out as the vines began to shake angrily, a reflection of their mistress' mental state. With a howl, InuYasha started tearing through the creepers, freeing his pack members, starting with Kagome.

All free, Kagome threw her arms around InuYasha. With his transformation, his hair had gone back to its normal silver shine, though it was matted with both his blood and that of his enemies. Whispering apologies, Kagome let a little bit of her purification power through her hands and pressed them against his temples.

InuYasha slumped to the ground, transformation reverting as his body began to writhe with renewed pain of the poison in his system. The pain grew, sending him into spasms, until he finally reached his incredibly high limit and passed out.

"Hurry," Sango said, wrapping her arm around InuYasha as Miroku did the same. Kagome grabbed Sango and Miroku's weapons and picked up Kirara. Then the three shoved their way through the doorway, past a panting Ki whose eyes had gone blank, lost in a memory only she could see…

OoO**OoO**OoO

Hours later, Naraku stood outside the door to his converted warehouse, sifting through the scents warily. _'InuYasha was here… Kagome, the monk and slayer as well.'_ The promise of power pulled him through the doorway, where the sun's last rays glinted off golden hair.

Ki lie in the middle of the hallway, curled in the fetal position, eyes blank. "Blood," she muttered softly, "Blood-red eyes…"

Naraku's own eyes flashed. _'There's no way she can remember… the process doesn't allow for it…'_ He sneered and kicked the youkai in the ribs. "Get up, useless wench."

"M-Master… M-Master Naraku…" Ki blinked the glaze from her eyes.

"What happened here?" The tone of voice was a demand, not a question. There would be no evasive answers this night.

"I kidnapped Kagome like you told me to, Master," Ki said, remaining on the floor. "Somehow, InuYasha and her friends came to save her. There was a battle – InuYasha was gravely injured, my lord," she said quickly, hoping to appease him.

"And the girl?"

Ki cringed. "She escaped, my lord." His anger rolled off him in waves. "But look! I did not fail you!" On her hand laid a chunk of the Shikon no Tama, black but smeared with dry blood.

Naraku smiled; an evil smile, not approving, not disproving, more amused than anything else Ki could pin-point. "You did not fail me, you say?"

Ki gulped.

"You say you did not fail me. My instructions were quite clear, I believe, my dear. Collect for me the miko Kagome _and_ her shards."

Ki's eyes widened as he took a step closer, reaching out to her.

"I did not say 'the miko Kagome _or_ her shards,' filthy wretch. I said _'_the miko _and_ her shards." He plucked the shards from the earth youkai's hand. "One of my demands does not constitute all, dear Ki." His eyes flashed again, red to black, "And I do not tolerate failure."

Ki screamed.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

"Hijinketsusou" – "Blades of Blood"

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.) Arata is the creation of the fabulous Phalon – I've done a bit of tweaking, but she is for all intents and purposes not mine.


	29. Chapter 28: Understanding

Pack Law

Chapter 28: Understanding

Hollering for help, Kagome slid off Kirara. Her hands remained on InuYasha's shoulders, her arms shaking as she tried to hold him upright. She'd managed to get a rein on her run-away emotions as Kirara had ferried them away from the warehouse; now, she needed to get some bandages and start patching people up.

"Hey! A little help here?" Kirara's yowl added to the clamor. It must've worked; a few moments later, Arata stepped through the door and hurried over.

"What the fuck happened to you guys?" Arata took in InuYasha's partially purified body and cringed. Purification _hurt_ like a son-of-a-bitch…

Kagome sighed, running her hands over her face and smearing blood down her cheeks in the process. "It's a long story. I need help getting him inside, so Kirara can go get Miroku and Sango."

Nodding quickly, Arata scooped InuYasha off the two-tailed neko and began carrying him to his room, Kagome trailed at her heels. "Bring some hot water and some towels," Arata shouted back toward the kitchen. Looking over her shoulder, Kagome saw Sarah scamper to do the inu youkai's bidding.

Kagome rushed ahead to open the door for Arata; she gazed around the room, biting her lip at the destruction and remembering the rage she'd felt through their link. Obviously, InuYasha had been quite unimpressed with receiving the news she was gone… When – well, _if,_ he found out she had pretty much thrown herself into Ki's trap, he was going to have another fit.

Arata began carefully removing the drying blood from InuYasha. As she uncovered the worst of the wounds, Kagome allowed herself to bring her powers to the surface and heal him. She normally wouldn't have done as much, but she figured it couldn't hurt him any… _'He's already partially purified,'_ she thought guiltily, _'And Naraku was nowhere I could feel the shards from. He'll be more comfortable if he's healed… he feels more pain as a human.'_ Steeling her resolve, she watched, wincing, as Arata popped his shoulder back into place.

"Quickly, heal that and his ribs next. His surface wounds will heal on their own when his youki returns," Arata said, somehow managing to order Kagome in a deferential tone of voice. Kagome nodded and placed her glowing hands (once again pink, she noted) on his shoulder. "It's his sword-arm," Arata continued as she watched the miko work. "He must be able to wield Tetsusaiga."

Next Kagome focused on his ribs, cringing as her own twinged, reminding herself of her own pain. She pushed that pain back, refused to acknowledge it; not while he was still in pain. How many times had he thrown himself into danger to protect her? Far too many for her to feel comfortable focusing on herself now.

The miko's eyes began to droop as she began to dip into the reserves of her power. A heavy hand on her shoulder caught her by surprise. _'I didn't even hear the door open.'_ The rush of energy that seeped into her was welcome; she turned and gave Hitomu a thankful glance as Miroku, Sango and Kirara entered the room.

With InuYasha's injuries pretty much taken care of, Kagome could focus on herself and the others. Hitomu had learned a bit of healing when they were in the States, so he took over caring for his parents. "There's no need to completely exhaust yourself," Sango chided, motioning for Kagome to lean back on the bed. She snuggled up to InuYasha, taking comfort in his body heat and the way he easily wrapped an arm around her stomach.

Shippou entered the room as quietly as possible. "I have some of the guard staking out that warehouse district," he said softly. "To see if they can't trace where Naraku went."

"H-he wasn't there," Kagome said over a yawn. "I couldn't feel the shards, either."

Miroku's eyes widened as he stared at Kagome's chest; Sango's hand met the back of his head sharply and he ducked forward, complaining loudly. "Damn it, Sango, it's not what you think! I simply noticed the shards are missing!"

"Shut it, Miroku," Shippou hissed, eyes on InuYasha's slowly-moving form. Too late, though…

"What do you mean the fucking shards are gone?" InuYasha's voice was less gravelly, an after-effect of being purified no doubt, but Kagome was almost amused at the way he was still able to growl with a human-ish voice-box. Still, she couldn't help but try to squirm away; it was her fault the shards had been taken, after all, and she was sure he was going to read her the riot act. It was a valiant attempt, but InuYasha's arm gripped her around the stomach like iron. "_Kagome_?"

"Look," she huffed, relying on her old pal anger to help her through this. "It wasn't like I _planned_ to lose them. Ki got them from me when I was stuck with her vines and when you fell, it was either get you out of there as fast as possible or go after the shards! What should I have done?"

"Gone after the shards, dummy!" InuYasha gaped at the back of Kagome's head, absolutely incredulous. "Now Naraku has the jewel!" He cringed as the tell-tale scent of salt began to leak into the air.

"You were hurt," Kagome screeched. InuYasha actually thanked the kami that his youkai-enhanced hearing was diminished. "I was concerned about you, just like you were obviously concerned about me when I was taken and you didn't know if I was okay." She motioned with her arms toward the destruction around the room.

"Speaking of which," Miroku spoke up, "how _did_ Ki manage to get her hands on you? We made sure you had a pack member in each of your classes."

Kagome flushed. "Well… Hitomu's the only one in my history class… and Ki's in that class too." Sango lifted an eyebrow as InuYasha pushed himself to a sitting position, dragging Kagome up with him. She scooted away to lean against the headboard, grabbing a pillow and just barely resisting the urge to bury her face in it.

Hitomu spoke first. "And?"

"Well, we have lunch after that and…"

"Just get to the fuckin' point, Kagome," InuYasha commanded, eyes daring her to drag this out longer than necessary.

Kagome sighed, fingers absently curling and uncurling on the bedspread. "She… she said she wanted my help."

Hitomu buried his face in one of his hands with a groan, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Sarah and Shippou wore identical expressions: a mixture of frustration and amusement, as though they had expected that but had hoped they'd learn otherwise. Miroku sighed, hanging his head. His wife echoed that sigh, tilting her face up to look at the ceiling. Kagome could see her lips twitch, though, and knew Sango, too, had expected something like this.

InuYasha _exploded._ "Damn it, Kagome! Is your brain completely fuckin' broken? Are you really _that_ stupid?" Kagome cringed in the face of his anger. Unable to stay still, InuYasha bolted out of the bed, clutching at his hair as though he was wishing he could wring Kagome's neck… "I swear on everything holy in the world, wench… we went _completely_ out of our way to make sure you were _safe_ at school. So, of course, you go even _further_ out of your way to throw yourself into danger!"

Kagome blinked. "Hey, now, that's not really fair!"

InuYasha whirled, eyes narrowed. "Oh, _fuck no,_ wench? This is _entirely_ fair. What's not fair is the fact that you went traipsing across town to go have tea and cookies and oden with _our enemy-_" His hair began to shimmer as his anger dragged his youki to the surface.

Kagome gasped; her own eyes narrowed as the implication of what he was insinuating struck home. "Wait just a minute! Y-you think…" She gulped. "You think I just _willingly_ went with her? Like, 'oh, hey, I'm a _complete and utter idiot_ so if you could just bring me to Naraku that'd be fantastic!' or something?"

InuYasha blinked. "Isn't that what you were _just saying?_"

She threw up her arms, shooting to her feet, oblivious to the now-amused spectators watching the two go at it as they had so many ages ago. "No! That is _not_ what I'm saying! I need you to listen to me and not interrupt if you want me to explain things to you!"

The hanyou blinked, ears buried in his hair in remorse. It always seemed like they'd get into this cycle: one wouldn't listen to the other, jump to conclusions and make wild (usually wrong) assumptions and accusations. That'd fuel the other's rage and they wouldn't talk for days.

'_I'm done with that bullshit,'_ InuYasha decided then, and did something that brought the spectators in the room up short – he lifted his chin, baring his throat in a sign of submission.

Sango gaped, her head swiveling back to Kagome who looked rather confused.

'_I know that's supposed to mean something,'_ Kagome thought frantically. _'Just great. Give me some sort of test _now_ when I'm angry and not thinking straight… let's see, let's see…'_ Her eyes flickered to Sango, noting InuYasha's were pointed at the floor.

'He's sorry,' Sango mouthed quietly, sure InuYasha could still hear but wanting Kagome to respond correctly. 'Let him know it's okay.'

Kagome's eyes sparkled in appreciation, both for Sango's help and InuYasha's willing to compromise on this. "It's fine, InuYasha… I'm sorry I got mad at you and yelled." She bit her lip. Just how willing was she to take this compromise? "I-I shouldn't have wandered off with Ki," she said quickly, "but I really did do it in hopes of helping her. She… she knocked me out," Kagome admitted.

InuYasha responded to that statement with a savage growl, crossing the room with large steps and spinning Kagome around, running the pads of his fingers over the back of her head. She winced as he found the lump and he let out a low whine.

"I'm fine," she reassured. "In fact, I wasn't even thinking about it when we were healing each other."

Hitomu made a move to help Kagome, but InuYasha's gravelly growl stopped him in his tracks. His alpha was feeling a little upset, he realized; InuYasha had forced himself to submit to Kagome in the argument and now his intended mate was injured…

"I'll… uh, go see if dinner's done," he offered, grabbing Sarah on the way out.

"So, basically, Ki knocked you out and took you to the warehouse," Miroku clarified once the teens had left. Kagome nodded.

"Arata says you took off out of here like a man on fire," Shippou observed. "How did you know where to find her?"

InuYasha's arms tightened around Kagome. "Ask the wench," he answered dryly. "All I know is whatever she did purified me."

"Only a little," Kagome weakly rebuffed. At his sigh, she pushed out of his grasp, hand out. "It's the ring."

Miroku came closer, looking to InuYasha for permission first, and then put his hand near it. "Oh! It's made from InuYasha's fang, right?" Kagome nodded. "So you manipulated his youki?" Kagome nodded again.

"Yeah, with my reiki. Apparently it had an adverse reaction… and I think this is why I've been so moody lately. Your talismans have some of Sesshoumaru's youki in them to balance them out. I don't."

Sango rubbed her chin. "That would make sense. You were always most upset when InuYasha was, and your reiki was tinted red, like InuYasha's youki."

"Feh." InuYasha walked to the door, pulling it open and glaring at Sango and Miroku. "Go make sure everything's set for the rest of the night." He shot an apologetic look at Kagome. "It's too late to go see your family now, Kagome…I know you wanted to see them for your birthday."

Kagome forced a wan smile. "It's fine. It's kind of my fault, anyway."

InuYasha shut the door quietly, shaking his head. "It's not." Striding across the room, he wrapped his arms back around Kagome and pulled her onto the bed. His pride was still a bit sore about submitting earlier; to ease his youkai blood a little, he rolled, maneuvering them so he held himself above her. "It's not your fault, Kagome."

"But it is," Kagome whined softly. "And because of me being stupid, we lost the jewel. Even worse, you got hurt. I hate that-" Kagome's complaints were muffled by the soft lips on hers.

InuYasha chuckled at the glazed look in her eyes. "You never know when to shut up, do ya', wench?" he asked teasingly. She reached up, rubbing an ear and giggling as his chest started to rumble.

'_Oh, that's right!'_ Kagome cleared her throat, unsure how to bring up the subject. "Uh, InuYasha?" He raised his eyebrows, tilting his head questioningly. "What was all that earlier? You bared your throat to me… that's a submission thing, right?"

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," InuYasha grumbled. Realizing she was still a little confused, he clarified, "I'm fucking tired of us fighting like we used to. I realized we always go in circles and pissing each other off and we never seem to get anywhere with it. So I decided it'd be smarter just to give in." At her cheeky smile, he let out a small growl. "Like I said, wench, don't get used to it."

"Well, since you gave it, I compromised, too," Kagome pointed out. "So, it really did work." She smiled, biting back a yawn. "You really have grown up in the last couple centuries, haven't you?"

"Yeah, well, we didn't have that much to do. Build Sesshoumaru's empire, help Shippou discover concealment spells, do a bunch of that school shit… and try and keep any remaining shards out of Naraku's hands." He snorted. "You saw how that worked out."

Kagome sighed, tilting her head away. He growled to himself before nudging her cheek with his nose. "I know you feel guilty you didn't grab the shards. I still think you should have grabbed them, but you were thinking of me, right?" Kagome nodded. "So it's okay. And you healed me, too, didn't you? You can't even tell I was purified earlier."

Guilt darkened Kagome's features. "I can't believe I did that… I could feel it was hurting you, but didn't know how. I didn't know I was purifying you or I would've stopped."

"No!" InuYasha lowered his head, resting his forehead on hers, golden eyes boring into stormy gray. "No. You got a brain, and ya' used it good today. If you're ever taken again… not that you _will_ be, because I'm not letting you out of my sight for a few days… but if you ever are, I want you to do it again. You pulled me straight to you." The miko still looked unsure. "Besides," InuYasha said, cheeks tinting a bit, "It made me feel better to hear your voice… I knew you were safe and it kept me from panicking too much."

Kagome chuckled, recalling the damaged room that lay beyond the veil of silver around her face. "Too much, huh? Your room's a mess. I can't imagine what you would have done if I hadn't grabbed your youki like that."

"I would have torn the city apart to find you," InuYasha said seriously, then pressed his lips to hers softly. "I need you with me, Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?"

Remembering the moment she first heard those words, transcending time to reassure her of her value, Kagome smiled, hugging him close.

"Happy birthday, wench," he whispered, before rolling to turn off the light. Resting her head on InuYasha's chest, Kagome let the beating of his heart lull her to sleep. Her last thought was that there was nowhere on Earth she'd rather be.

OoO**OoO**OoO

_Chiaki looked around, wondering how she'd come to be in this dilapidated, empty village. _'This has to be another dream,_' she reasoned, _'Though a very life-like one…'

_Though it was an old scent, blood and death hung on the air. Almost as if she were being guided, Ki found herself walking straight through the broken huts to a cave cut into the foot of the mountain. _'It's a wonder I'm not in pain,'_ Ki mused as she walked, _'When I wake, I hope I'll have healed from Master Naraku's "corrections"…'

_Ki shuddered as she entered the cave, stepping through an obvious barrier with ease. Inside stood a statue of a woman. Youkai twined around her, looking vicious, clutching the warrior – for she wore ancient armor – in her teeth. Ki shivered. She could almost feel the aura of the creatures. It was a very realistic statue… Stepping closer, she ran the tips of her finger over a hole in the woman's chest._

_A hand reached up, grasping Ki's and pulling her closer. As she struggled, Ki's injuries began to make themselves known; she bled from the temple, the stomach… her ribs were bruised and hampered her breathing. A foreign pain she wished she'd never known throbbed between her legs, bringing tears to her eyes… _'Youkai or not, shame can be felt by all…'

"_Do not be afraid, child," the woman spoke. As was the nature of dreams, the youkai had vanished, leaving only a palling aura in their wake. The woman was no longer a teal color of stone… she was flesh and blood, living and breathing… though the hole remained in her breast. Although the woman should not be alive, much less talking, with that hole… Ki was comforted. This woman felt like… her mother. Like a distant friend she had not seen in years. A sister, of sorts._

_Hearing footsteps, Ki spun in the woman's arms, turning to face dozens more women of various ages and ethnicities. Some of them looked awfully familiar… a tall woman, wearing miko robes, with cold brown eyes and a calculating look. The woman from her dream, who'd lost her husband in the war… that infernal miko-child, Kagome, stood near the back, smiling her hundred-watt grin. And – Ki's heart sputtered for a moment – the child, the little girl who'd been held by her mother as that horrible, fearful man with the red eyes… Naraku… beat the young mother to death…_

"_I am Midoriko," the statue-woman said, voice echoing like a kami's in the now-cramped space of the cavern. "I am you. You are me. We are a part of each other… all of us."_

_Ki turned wide eyes back to the women and children. Midoriko's arm motioned to them. "Pain begets pain. Mine was the start of a cursed soul, a curse of my doing… one that cycled through the world, losing those they held dear."_

"_Death touches all… but is consistently drawn to this soul in harsher degrees than most. This soul is cursed; those who grow too close are taken away. A most dear friend… a beloved sibling… a doctor losing a patient after years of effort." As Midoriko listed the relationship, various women began to fade from the room. The list grew until only the peasant-woman, Kagome, the cold miko and the child remained in front of Ki and Midoriko._

"_Some of us, though, have felt the losses more keenly, for they, like my original curse, have been our own faults." The peasant-woman sniffled as she, too, began to fade. "She felt the loss of a husband," Midoriko described, "Her soul mate gave up his life to save the young man she was having an affair with. She did not know until she met him in the afterlife that he had known all along, and kept his silence, hoping she was happy."_

_Ki's eyes were wide as she watched the crying peasant disappear. _'Is that unconditional love?'

"_Now only we remain. Your past," Midoriko motioned to herself and the cold-miko. "Your present," the child stepped forward to grab Ki's hand. "And your future," Midoriko named with a flourish of the hand in Kagome's direction._

"_What… what are you all doing here?" Ki whispered. "What am I doing here? Am I dead? I've suffered these crazed dreams for weeks now and you insinuate there's a purpose…"_

"_We're you, silly," the child giggled, pulling on Ki's hand. "We're us!"_

"_You must learn who you really are," the cold-eyed miko said. "Who you are meant to be. We all walked a similar path… or were supposed to," the miko leveled a cold glare at Kagome, a hint of what almost looked like jealousy in her eyes, "due to the actions of Midoriko and later, the youkai witch Urasue."_

_The warrior-miko lowered her head in shame. Stepping away, Ki studied the statue-turned-woman. That gaping hole remained, pulsed grotesquely as though a heart still beat, though Ki could not hear it._

"_The youkai… he and I were the best of friends while growing," Midoriko said. "Then we were torn apart to do our duty. He was the eldest son of a youkai general, a tai-youkai, and was meant to lead them. I was next in a line of powerful priestesses with the taijya village, expected to slay youkai." Tears jumped unexpectedly to Ki's eyes, blurring the woman's outline as she told her story._

_Ki blinked, and suddenly, they were in a field. The group watched Midoriko arguing with a beautiful dragon-youkai, in the guise of a young man._

"_It is my duty," the dragon bellowed, "And you will not stand in my way! You are either with me or against me." Midoriko, looking much younger, flinched from the harsh words. The action seemed to bring the youkai to Earth… "Please, do not be against me. I could not stand to face you in battle. Stand with me… I will protect you."_

_Young-Midoriko drew herself tall at the last statement, her gray eyes thundering and flashing as her armor did. "I do not need protection," she hissed. "I've treasured your friendship, your lo-" She bit her tongue. "We have been friends since I can remember, and I have eschewed those who would condemn me for befriending that which I should have struck down the moment I was old enough to wield a sword and wise enough to judge a youkai from a human."_

_The youkai's eyes hardened in turn, his mouth turning into a savage frown. "You would go against me in this, then?"_

"_I have no choice, Ryuu." She sighed, pleading with him to understand. "How would it look for me to turn on those who took me in when my family died of plague? With my powers, I could have easily been sold as sport for the more blood-thirsty youkai. Instead, they raised me and trained me-"_

"_To kill your closest friend," Ryuu interrupted, snorting a tendril of smoke from his nose. "To turn your back on the one person who would do anything to keep you by his side." His voice rose with his passions, "To strike down the one man who has not coveted you for your powers or your body, but because of your fiery temper, the way you look when you argue and the ferocity in which you fight for what you believe in. Will you be so foolish as to turn your back on that person?"_

_Midoriko tilted her head back, unwittingly sealing her fate. "Come for me in five days time. I know not whether we will live together or battle… I must pray to the kami for guidance. Know that I would give my very soul to never part from you."_

_The scene dissolved, and the group found themselves back in the cave, in time to see young-Midoriko run in, Ryuu at her heels. "You betrayed me," he roared angrily, "Of all the people I expected to turn on me; you were not one of them."_

_Midoriko's mouth moved to respond, though the group could not hear her words. The two moved faster than they should have been able to, more youkai sniffling out the battle and joining the fight, until Midoriko was almost intimately twined with each. Ki could have sworn she saw the miko whisper "I'm sorry" before a flash lit up the cave and the two stood, immortalized in stone…_

'No, they _are_ the stone,' _Ki thought breathlessly. Midoriko studied the statue, which faded, and then turned to the girls. Kagome clutched the young child closely; the child was sobbing into the crook of her shoulder._

"_You did not betray him," the cold miko said first, an air of sorrow wrapping her like a blanket._

"_Neither did you betray InuYasha," Midoriko responded. "Nor did he betray you."_

"_InuYasha!" The women stood on the steps of a shine, looking down at a hanyou clutching an entire Shikon no Tama. The 'twang' of a bow sent an arrow thrumming through the air…_

"_Kikyou… I thought you… I…"_

_Ki turned to the cold miko, Kikyou's eyes brimming with tears and regret. "Is he dead?"_

_Kagome shook her head and pointed at the tree, which now had vines around it. A younger Kagome, dressed in a middle school uniform, stood staring at the hanyou before climbing up and tweaking his ears. The child giggled._

"_He's just sealed. He'll awake to save me from Mistress Centipede… and then try to take the Shikon from me," Kagome said, watching her younger self be accosted by villagers._

_The air around the group shimmered until they stood on a cliff, watching another Kikyou, this one with dead, dark eyes, stumble toward a naked Kagome, who was in a tub of goo. The look on the younger Kagome's face said it all; the older Kagome shivered and Ki made a face: it looked disgusting!_

"_I was cleaning that stuff out of areas of my body I didn't even know I had for weeks," Kagome mumbled._

"_Why are we here now?" Ki suddenly demanded, realizing that she was no closer to discovering the weird origins of her dreams. Who was this Kikyou? Why was she learning so much about these other women when she still had so many questions about herself?_

"_You are learning why your life has been doomed from the moment of your birth," Kikyou said calmly, as though she were discussing the weather. "And why your answer lies in Kagome."_

_Ki turned to the young woman holding the child. "I understand what that child… what I went through. But what about you? Do you have some horrible story to share?"_

_Midoriko smiled. "Kagome was sent to the Feudal Era to resolve Kikyou's sins. Kagome will one day free my and Ryuu's souls from the Shikon. You and the child are one and the same… if you let her, Kagome will help you, as well…"_

"_How?"_

_Midoriko smiled, and began to glow, as did Kagome, Kikyou and the child. "You will understand when it is time, Chiaki. When all looks bleak, look inside for the help you need to do the right thing."_

_Kagome smiled. "Trust me."_

_Kikyou stared Ki in the eye. "You are made up of an amalgamation of souls that should not exist. They were imprisoned in the clay body for so long; they began to grow upon each other. Had Kagome's soul not been part of that make-up… we would not find peace. Remember to look inside yourself for the strength you need."_

OoO**OoO**OoO

"…the strength I need…" Ki woke up to her own mumblings, body burning with the sensation of healing. She lay still for a moment, the cool concrete against her bare back somewhat soothing, if scratchy. There were no sounds in the compound, nothing suggesting Naraku had lingered after expending his rage and needs.

With a light groan, Ki pushed herself up, gazing around as she made her way to her room. _'Kagome,'_ she thought, _'Kagome… you said you would help me…'_

But would she? Would her friends let her? Would InuYasha even let her speak with the miko? Ki had to admit they had all the reasons in the world to deny her assistance. Hells, she'd just "requested" help yesterday and instead smashed Kagome upside the head and spirited her away.

'_Fantastic,'_ she mourned, _'I beat away my own chance at happiness…'_

Walking part Naraku's office, a dark glint caught her eye. The Shikon… completely black, it seemed to pulse with energy and reminded Ki of the throbbing hole in Midoriko's chest. She shuddered in revulsion. Focusing on the dark stone, Ki could faintly feel Naraku's aura; he was dormant in the jewel, weakened by the activities of the night before. The stone was still missing a piece, though… he did not have enough substance left to form a complete body, she surmised, even with the help of the shards. He'd need an entire jewel to regain his life.

'_I cannot defeat him alone, can I?'_ Ki gasped, backing out of the room and retreating to a hot shower. When had her thoughts turned toward killing the man… the hanyou that held her hostage? She'd been such an adamant supporter, encouraging him when he was frustrated and enjoying his successes.

'_He used me,'_ she determined. _'In doing so, he proved I was nothing to him. He wanted to sate his lust for Kikyou with me. I will not be a copy to be used!'_ It hadn't escaped her attention that other than the coloring, her youkai body was almost an exact replica of Kikyou's. Even Kagome, supposedly Kikyou's reincarnation if the dream was more than it had appeared, looked different enough to tell them apart at first glance.

Hot water raining down upon her shoulders, removing the sting of bruises that had just begun to fade, Ki thought back to the jewel resting on the mahogany desk. _'If it were purified while he was in it… can he hear anything inside? I can't imagine why he couldn't, but if the jewel is like a prison, then perhaps he cannot.'_

It was a risk… but the time for taking risks had come.

OoO**OoO**OoO

Kagome frowned, staring at her soup. InuYasha had expressly forbidden them from going to school today; he wanted the entire area double and triple-checked before they strayed out of the den again. It made sense, sure, but she wasn't all that pleased with missing yet more classes…

"I'm just saying we should go in and take of his shit once and for all," InuYasha insisted loudly, drawing Kagome from her thoughts.

"InuYasha! He has the jewel!" Kagome flinched at Sango's reminder of her failure the day before. "Don't you remember how dangerous he was? There are a lot more humans to worry about nowadays!"

InuYasha opened his mouth to retaliate but was interrupted by Miroku. "I don't wonder why he hasn't come to us yet. Wouldn't you think the first step he'd take is to get his revenge? But I haven't even felt his aura, and we're close enough to the warehouse district that at least Kagome would feel it." He turned to the miko. "Have you?"

Kagome shook her head adamantly. "Nothing. Didn't Shippou say he had people watching the place, though?"

Miroku nodded. "Shippou himself went out there earlier today for some recon." Noticing the look on Kagome's face, he hurried to reassure her. "Nothing dangerous, of course. Just checking the place out."

"Keh. You mother him like he's still a pup," InuYasha scoffed. "He's old enough to be your jii-chan at least three times over."

Kagome glared. "What's that make you then?" Sango choked on her juice, laughing at the look on the hanyou's face.

"Back to business at hand," Miroku interjected smoothly, "We need to find out why he hasn't come after us with the Shikon yet."

"He does not have all of it."

InuYasha's head shot up, studying his half-brother as the stoic youkai lord walked up to the table. "When'd you get back, bastard? Weren't you in South America?"

"I returned earlier this morning."

"Kagome?" Sango spoke up, realizing Kagome was staring at the breast-pocket of Sesshoumaru's coat intently.

"That's impossible… Naraku has the whole thing," the miko murmured, hesitantly reaching out her hand.

InuYasha's nose twitched. "That's… you have a shard of the jewel?"

Removing it from his jacket, Sesshoumaru handed it to Kagome, watching as it flared a bright pink. "An associate apparently stumbled across the shard many decades ago, at an ancient burial spot for his kind. He was quite concerned when his great-grandfather's body would not dissolve. The shard was to blame. He's held onto it ever since, until he heard about the reappearance of the Shikon no Miko," he explained.

Any further questions were interrupted by a scuffle at the doorway. InuYasha rose to his feet, hand on Tetsusaiga. "Naraku's scent," he growled.

"But not his youki," Kagome protested, trying to push out from behind him to find out what was going on.

"I told you, I need to see Kagome!" The voice brought a growl to InuYasha's lips and wrenched a snarl from Kirara, who flared to her larger form, taking a defensive stance ahead of Sango.

Arata had a dangerous-looking dagger drawn and at Ki's throat, her clawed hand wrapped in golden hair. "I caught her trying to sneak in," Arata said, pretty much dragging the earth youkai forward. Producing an ofuda, Miroku stuck it to Ki's back, rendering her immobile.

"I have to speak with Kagome," Ki insisted. "It's about the-"

"Shikon," Kagome breathed, finally making her way ahead of InuYasha, who let out a blistering barrage of curses as she walked up to Ki. "You have it."

"You have to purify it," Ki said quickly. "While Naraku is still inside."

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.) Arata is the creation of the fabulous Phalon – I've done a bit of tweaking, but she is for all intents and purposes not mine.


	30. Chapter 29: The Right Wish

Pack Law

Chapter 29: The Right Wish

Kagome reached out to grab the jewel, stopping inches away at InuYasha's furious snarl. She didn't need a translator to know he was _pissed_ at her shoving her way around him and approaching their enemy, no matter how subdued she may be by Miroku's ofuda. With one last glance at the jewel, shivering at the intensity of the evil emanating from it, she retreated back to his side.

Kagome caught InuYasha's eyes with her own, gasping as she saw red begin to seep into the gold. Flinching, she trained her gaze on the floor, tilting her head as Kouga had taught her in America, hoping to appease him. His growl subsided and he reached out to grab her.

"Do not disobey me on this," he hissed. Kagome huffed but drew silent, looking at Ki with a raised eyebrow.

"Why are you here?" Sango demanded, gun drawn and aimed at her head. Ki stared down the barrel nervously, licking her lips.

'_That's not how she usually acts. She's nervous about something,'_ Kagome mused. Behind Miroku, Hitomu had a similar look on his face as he studied the youkai.

Ki gulped, obviously wishing she could move more than her face. "K-Kagome needs to purify the jewel. It's only missing one shard," she said blurted out. "Like I said, Naraku's inside of it right now-"

Miroku interrupted, his hand held out, "What's stopping him from coming out and killing us right now?"

Ki winced. "He… expended a lot of energy last night." Kagome gasped, guessing the meaning by the youkai's tone of voice. "He should be in the jewel for at least another hour. I'm not sure what time he was done last night."

InuYasha shifted, crossing his arms and glaring for all her was worth at the young woman who had pretty much knocked him out just the day before. "I ain't buyin' it. Just yesterday you knocked Kagome out and ran off with her. Why should we trust you now?" He placed a hand on Tetsusaiga; he'd taken to carrying the sword again after the confrontation at the park. "In fact, I think it's time to end this shit once and for all."

Kagome tugged at his arm. "Wait! Hear her out!"

Eyes narrowed, he turned his head to face the miko, ears still trained on Ki. "Are you fuckin' crazy? She could've killed you yesterday!"

"Could have, but didn't," Miroku said, mulling over his words. "Why?"

"He wanted her alive. I think he wanted to force her to help him find the last shard."

"We have it," Sango said. "Looks like he missed out." She glared at Ki, "Why bring the shards here? You seemed rather loyal to your Master until now."

"He used me, I know that now," Ki admitted in a jumble of words, still staring down the barrel of the gun. "I wasn't born a youkai; I was born a normal girl." At InuYasha's raised eyebrow, she began speaking faster. "I-I-I know it sounds weird. But a miko warrior called Midoriko told me last night I was part of a miko called Kikyou and that sorrow lives in me. Damn it, I'm not lying! It's all really hard to explain and I'm still kind of confused myself-"

"Keh. Just stop it," InuYasha said with a sneer and a flourish of the arm. "If you'd turn on the person you've been so loyal to, how can we trust you now?"

"InuYasha, wait!" Kagome shouted to be heard over Ki's anxious stammering; she seemed rather surprised to find a large fang-shaped sword under her nose and her green eyes darted back and forth between the gun and the sword, unsure which person was more dangerous. "Remember Kagura? And Kanna? They didn't want to be part of Naraku's plans either, but he made them! Maybe Ki's the same way!" At InuYasha's doubting look, she widened her eyes. "Please, InuYasha. I'm begging you. Let me just get the jewel from her."

Arata snarled, and the group realized her hand was shaking. Shippou looked pale; he'd wandered over to the doors to the balcony and pried them open as though he were short on oxygen. Sesshoumaru had stepped out of the room but each human with a talisman could feel his youki rising.

"The Shikon," Miroku breathed. "InuYasha, you have to let her take it; it's tainted and it's starting to affect the full-blooded youkai here."

Kagome darted forward, grabbing the jewel from Ki's frozen hand and ripping off the ofuda with her other hand, cringing at InuYasha's enraged shout. "Osuwari!" She bit back the waves of anger that began to flow from the ring as InuYasha slammed to the floor, focusing on the darkened jewel in her hand. She'd only seen it this black once, and she'd broken it a second time that same day.

Pulling her power to her fingertips, she coaxed the darkness from the jewel. But no matter how hard she pushed, there was a speck of darkness that just wouldn't disappear. _'It's like the opposite of what happened after Kikyou died,'_ Kagome mused, staring at the Shikon with a mixture of interest and frustration.

"Miroku?" She held the jewel out for him to look at. "I can't purify it all the way."

It hit him. "Naraku fused with the Shikon when it was whole," he reminded her. "Perhaps you cannot eradicate his presence without reforming the whole thing."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome slipped the remaining shard into the crevasse and focused her powers on her cupped hands. Then she yelped, pulling her hands back, "It burned me!"

The re-blackened jewel hit the round rolling, bouncing as though it were alive out the door, onto the balcony and down to the grass below. Seconds later, chaos reigned.

With an evil laugh, a black-skinned Naraku erupted from the jewel. Long white hair flowing over spiked shoulders, impossibly muscled; he looked just as he had 500 years ago, when they ventured into his body and fought. InuYasha, Sango, Miroku and Kagome all cringed as the memories came flooding back.

_Miroku's kazaana widening, the sound of wind even through the sealing beads…_

_Blood on his claws… her blood, Kagome's blood… being told he'd killed her…_

_Watching InuYasha grapple with an unseen enemy while fighting Sesshoumaru…_

_Knowing Sango would die, and there was nothing he could do about it…_

Miroku screamed, clutching his hand and falling to his knees. The searing, tearing pain etched lines in his face, brought sweat to his brow… he thanked all the kami he could think of in his pain-riddled state that he'd begun wearing a glove again. Shippou darted inside, calling out something about guarding the pups.

Naraku chuckled. "Ah, monk. Did you really believe you were through with that curse? You _cannot defeat me._" He gazed down at the jewel, lying on the grass. "I am one with the Shikon no tama! At last, my body is whole again, and I shall destroy you all!"

"Tch!" InuYasha scoffed, stepping onto the balcony and brandishing Tetsusaiga with a flourish. "We've learned a few things in the years since then. You think we won't whip your ass back to the Sengoku Jidai?"

"InuYasha!" Kagome shouted, running to the edge of the balcony as InuYasha leapt off, bearing Tetsusaiga over his head. She ran back inside, grabbing her bow and a quiver of arrows from her room, thanking Shippou's friend mentally for getting them prepared.

Miroku and Sango slid onto a hissing Kirara's back; Miroku gripped his staff heavily in one hand while Sango readied her guns. "What about Miyuki and Hitomu?" Sango fretted, eyes on Naraku, who swung his arm and knocked InuYasha back much as a baseball player would.

"They'll be fine," Miroku soothed, assisting Sango off Kirara as they hit the ground. "They've been wearing the gloves, too; they've heard far too many stories not to. I wouldn't be surprised if-" Before Miroku could finish his thought, a warm bubble encased the group, causing Naraku to lift his head and snarl.

"There, see? I knew they'd have a barrier up."

InuYasha laughed at the anger etched on Naraku's face. "What, can't run away now if you're losing, asshole?" He wiped a trail of blood away from his slip lip, not even flinching as an arrow packed with purification power sailed right past his ear to embed in Naraku's shoulder.

Naraku tore the aluminum rod out of his muscle, hissing as it began to eat away at the armored shell that had once protected him. Kagome stared him down, normally expressive eyes cold, Chiaki by her side. The youkai woman waved her hand, creating a wall of vines to protect her and Kagome as Naraku sent a wave of piercing tentacles toward them.

"Your battle is with us," Sango cried, shooting out three bullets filled with purification energy Miroku had blessed them with. They hissed and sputtered on contact, doing little damage but directing his ire. Miroku swung out with his staff, slicing away bits that would slink to them and capture them.

"Get down!" From behind Naraku, InuYasha shouted to his pack to steer clear. He released a barrage of cutting meidou, a grin on his face as they ate away at the remaining shell. Naraku growled, reaching out with yet more of his body to ensnare Arata, who'd come in Sesshoumaru's place. She growled a warning, swiping her blade at him and releasing drops of a potent poison onto the ground near him, herding him back toward InuYasha.

Cursing at her bullet's lackluster attack, Sango was about to head into the house for her sword when she heard a shout from above. "Hiraikotsu!" Tilting her head back, Sango watched her bone boomerang, unused for so long, swoosh through the air, cutting through more of Naraku's body and twisting to land in the ground in front of her. Sango made a mental note to thank InuYasha for encouraging her to teach her daughter to use the ancient weapon.

Miroku watched the window anxiously as Naraku's attention was diverted yet again, sighing with relief as Hitomu erected a barrier that burnt against Naraku's flesh. Naraku hissed, glaring at Ki and reaching out for her.

Ki was unable to react fast enough and fell back as his arms reached out, slamming her to the ground. Kagome retaliated, piercing his now-revealed flesh with another arrow. She cried out as a sharp tentacle snaked around her, ripped through her right shoulder, rendering her fairly useless with the bow. She fought back, grabbing the offending flesh and burning it with her reiki.

On Naraku's right, InuYasha and Arata continued to hack away at his expanding body. Arata's poison ate away at his skin but threw InuYasha into coughing fits, putting him in a delicate position and unable to defend himself. She eventually resorted to using her dual swords, spinning in a blaze of silver, snarling her challenge. InuYasha cursed up a storm, wincing as he felt Kagome's pain through her control on the ring. If only they were in a more open area, he could fire off his kaze no kizu and use more meidou attacks, but he feared pulling in his pack mates to that dark nothingness where he had searched out Kagome so long ago…

Shaking his head free of the horrible memory, InuYasha sunk his blade into the ground as a heavy wind tore at his body; Miroku had opened his kazaana, sucking his Naraku's miasma-coated limbs and preventing him from reattaching them or using them to absorb the nearby youkai. A smirk quirked his lips as he heard Naraku's angry bellow.

"What, pissed off ya' ain't got nobody to fight for ya?" InuYasha shouted over the roar of the wind, his shout turning into one of agony as a bit of Naraku's body wrapped around his chest, squeezing tightly in an attempt to escape being drawn into the void. He scrabbled at the appendage with his claws, tearing it to shreds and following their disappearance into his friend's hand…

Miroku cried out in pain as it lanced up his arm. _'Too much shouki…'_ He'd felt this agony before. Apparently the poison Yakurou Dokusen had given him so many centuries ago expired after 500 years… He'd forgotten how much the evil could sting. Miroku's vision blurred, he cursed; he could barely hear Sango imploring him to wrap his hand…

Sango choked back a sob as Miroku hit the ground; letting her concern and sorrow slip into rage, she spun, wielding her ancestral weapon with all her might and removing Naraku's leg.

Naraku howled in anger and pain; the howl was echoed by InuYasha slipping into a blood-lust as he noticed Miroku unmoving on the ground, as he felt Kagome's pain bleed over to him…

"NO!" Kagome leaned over the railing, reaching in vain for InuYasha, feeling his youki spike. Her memory was thrust back to just half a year ago, when she'd run through stomach acid to wrap her arms around InuYasha, to keep him from losing himself… she stared at the ring as though in challenge and grabbed a snaking tendril of red, releasing just enough reiki to ease it to a manageable level…

InuYasha gasped, looking up at Kagome in awe and thanks. Tetsusaiga pulsed in his hands, responding to the surge in his youki without burning him or repressing the power. Purple stripes adorned his cheeks but his eyes stayed remarkably gold, though dark shadows ringed them…

Sango dragged Miroku away, feeling InuYasha's rise in power from the talisman and knowing anything in his way was pretty much doomed. Seeing the area behind his enemy clear, InuYasha let off a torrent of incredibly-charged diamond shards. Naraku cried out as some stuck in his body and others tore through skin and bone. Flexing painfully, a scowl on his face, Naraku expelled those diamonds that had stuck inside him. InuYasha and Arata managed to dodge the few that went their way; Sango struck down the two that threatened her and her husband. Ki managed to deflect the one that angled at her but Kagome, who was focused on keeping InuYasha sane, shrieked as a small shard embedded itself just under her ribcage.

Ki gasped, burned with anger. _'What has Kagome ever done to anybody?'_ Sure, she'd been upset with the girl herself… but she knew she had been wrong. Kagome had done nothing but try to help Ki at every turn… how could her master- no, not her master. Naraku. Her captor. Her murderer. How could he want to harm such a pure soul?

Power flared up around Ki as Naraku, laughing viciously, swept InuYasha and Arata aside, catching them off-guard and slamming them into a tree. Another tentacle slithered around Sango and Miroku threateningly; Sango glared, unable to do much while Miroku was still unconscious.

Kagome cried out in pain as he grasped her, tightened around her, dared her to attack with her powers as InuYasha and Arata were held tightly as well. Naraku growled as Arata's poison began eating away at his body again; freeing InuYasha with a slash of her claws, the two again began hacking at their enemy, hoping to protect their friends.

Reining in her raging powers, Ki snuck a tendril to the ground, snaking to the Shikon. She'd just wrapped a vine around it when Naraku spun, slicing the vine with a downward sweep and spending the Shikon flying. With a shout, InuYasha leapt for it; grabbing it and shuddering. Red bled into his eyes several times, blinked back with a growl, before he finally got a hold of himself.

Kirara swooped down with a roar, slashing at Naraku and plucking the jewel from InuYasha's outstretched hand. She dropped it into Ki's palm, landing and clamping down on the tentacles that still held Kagome tightly.

Ki shuddered, feeling the youki in the jewel begin to eat away at her sanity. Was this how she would die? As suddenly as it began to burn, though, the sensation faded. Ki's eyes widened as her vines began to glow with a blue power much like that of Kagome's.

"_You will understand when it is time, Chiaki. When all looks bleak, look inside for the help you need to do the right thing."_

"Midoriko," Ki breathed, and in that moment, understood.

Naraku's gaze fell on the young woman holding the jewel and his voice took on a soft quality. "Beautiful Chiaki… do not forget your debt to me." Glassy green eyes met his dark ones. "I made you. You would be dead right now if it weren't for me."

Ki bristled. "My family… my _real_ family is dead because of you!" Those nearby gasped as her eyes flickered to brown, and fell on InuYasha. "Live long and be happy," she whispered, her voice not her own.

Naraku gripped Ki tighter as her eyes turned green once again. "You _will not_ disobey me, Chiaki. I made you and I can break you just as easily," he hissed menacingly.

Ki's gaze met Kagome's, an apology in her eyes. Kagome's eyes watered as reiki flared up around Chiaki; a contradiction of the youki that should be surrounding her and yet seeming so right…

"Purify him! You know you can! You have to," Kagome shouted, wriggling against the writhing tentacles that gripped her tight and squeezed harder, as if to quiet her.

"Do not listen to her," Naraku said, an oily tint to his voice. "Listen to the one who made you, loves you…"

Still in Naraku's loose embrace, Ki turned to face Kagome, shaking her head sadly. Kagome gasped. "Don't, Ki… don't let him win." The plea, softly wheezed, floated on the breeze to Ki, who smiled.

"Thank you, Kagome… for everything. Please… do the right thing." Ki turned to Naraku. "From the moment Midoriko created this damned jewel… from the day that witch made a false body and stole part of Kagome's soul, my life has been nothing but pain! The pain ends here!" Ki reached her arms around Naraku, eyes closed and a grimace on her face. A flash of pure, white light lit up the area, causing everybody to fall back and look away.

OoO**OoO**OoO

As Kagome wound the bandage around InuYasha's upper arm where Naraku had slashed him, she realized her hands were shaking. She sniffled, setting down the gauze and wringing her hands. _'Maybe I've been doing too much,'_ she thought wildly, then gazed out the window and choked back a sob. _'Or maybe it just hasn't hit me yet.'_

A clawed thumb ghosted over her skin, wiping away the tears she wasn't even aware she was shedding. "Why," Kagome cried, leaning back into the safety of InuYasha's arms. "Why did she do that?"

Grunting softly from the movement, InuYasha wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist, pulling her face into his shoulder. "She was living a half-life," he said quietly, running his claws through her hair soothingly. "Like Kikyou did when Urasue brought her back… Naraku did the same thing. She knew she wasn't supposed to be a youkai; Naraku made her into something she shouldn't have been." Kagome sobbed, turning her head to the crook of his neck with a light gasp as he accidently tightened his grasp around her still-sore ribs. "It was her way of ending things. Kikyou died a normal woman; Ki died to fix the wrongs in the world."

Kagome twisted, looking in the direction where she knew a statue stood… not a statue, really, but a gathering of youkai and miko souls, entombed in rock so much like a similar one she'd seen a year ago. Nobody had been able to get near the statue to remove it.

Rolling the new, powder-blue jewel in her hand, Kagome blinked back more tears. Ki had always been strong; she'd expect Kagome to be strong now, too.

"How?" Kagome muttered; InuYasha heard her anyway. "How did she do it? She was a youkai, but she had reiki. How did she trap him like that?"

InuYasha's ears flattened as he thought about what Ki had told them just hours ago. "She said something about Midoriko and Kikyou. Kikyou took part of Midoriko's soul from the Shikon no Tama, remember? Maybe that part of her soul reached out and started the cycle again." He held out his hand; Kagome dropped the jewel in it.

"It's more powerful than the original," Kagome mentioned. "But I guess that's not surprising, since they had the jewel when Ki pushed out their souls this time."

"Will it work the same way? To get rid of it, I mean?"

Kagome bit her lip and wished Kaede were still alive. She was sure the old miko would know. "I guess there's only one way to find out. We can't keep this thing around. We'll be an even bigger target."

InuYasha nodded, handing the jewel back to Kagome. Holding it out, palm up, Kagome stared at the jewel before whispering, "Shikon no Tama… disappear. Forever."

The jewel cracked, as slowly as the original had so many ages ago, but instead of exploding, turned into a fine powder. A smattering of bright lights poured out, as they had done when Kikyou died…

One circled Kagome lightly, brushing against her face before taking to the sky. _"Thank you, Kagome."_

OoO**OoO**OoO

The bell rang and Kagome raced out of the school, Sarah, Tsukiyoshi and Hitomu at her heels.

"Thank God it's Friday," Sarah sighed, blowing her bangs out of her face. "I thought this week would never end! I hate it when all the teachers plan tests at the same time."

Kagome nodded sympathetically, looking around for Miroku's vehicle. She realized Tsukiyoshi and Sarah had gone still and silent. Slipping her ring on, she noticed the distasteful look on the kitsune hanyou's face and the dangerous slope of her ears, tilted to the side.

Eri, Yuka and Ayumi stood a few yards away, talking loudly. Kagome took a few steps forward before Hitomu grabbed her arm, shaking his head. She shook off his grip, getting close enough to hear what was being said.

"I can't believe she's been missing for weeks now! And I overheard Suzuki-sensei say that if she hadn't mentioned something, there wouldn't even be an investigation! Nobody even told the police!" Eri gestured wildly as she shared the latest gossip. Yuka appeared to be hanging on her every word while Ayumi looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Well _I_ heard that even the police are being very hush-hush about this," Yuka said as Eri stopped to take a breath. "What is she's a member of the Yakuza?"

Kagome snorted quietly at the claim, her faith in Ayumi rising as the quiet girl spoke up. "Somehow, Yuka, I doubt the Yakuza would let a school-girl join up."

"Yeah, but her father was apparently really weird," Yuka said. "Hotaru from my English class said she tried to make friends and invited her over, but she said her father wouldn't let her hang out with anybody unless he approved it first!"

Eri broke in again with a cackle, "Maybe she got arrested doing something illegal and that's why the police won't say anything!"

Kagome rolled her eyes, turning her back on the girls she had always thought of as friends. Seeing Miroku pull up, she stomped over to the SUV, letting out a sigh.

"Don't worry so much," Hitomu soothed, laying a hand on her shoulder. "We know the truth, and that's what's important, right?"

Kagome nodded, a bit unwillingly. "It's not fair, though," she broke out as soon as the door shut. "Why are they saying such nasty things about her? In the end, Ki did the right thing… she never wanted to be brought back for that life. She pretty much saved the world; doesn't that count for anything?

Sarah nodded, Tsukiyoshi mimicking the motion. "Remember, though, those girls consider themselves your champions," Sarah mentioned. "They were really upset when Ki was… well, telling the truth about your missing school last year. I'm sure they feel they're getting justice for you."

Regret filled Kagome's eyes. "But it's not justice at all. It's not fair and it's not right."

Hitomu leaned his front seat back, looking at Kagome awkwardly over his shoulder. "Hey, you saved the world too, didn't you? And all you got was a school full of classmates who thought you have a horrible immune system."

Miroku chuckled. "As interesting as this conversation is… Kagome, InuYasha wanted me to tell you you're staying at the den for a few days." Seeing the look on her face in the mirror, he quickly added, "He already cleared it with your mother. The Council is coming to confirm that the Shikon is gone and that you do possess a ring."

Kagome tilted her head at that. "What does the ring have to do with anything?"

Miroku grinned. "Well, since it's made from InuYasha's fang, like our talismans are, it's a proper substitute. That means you've actually been a pack member all along, since you got that ring before we had the talismans." Kagome smiled as she listened to Miroku expand on the loophole they'd found.

"For safety's sake, we're going to have Father's hair forged into your ring," Tsukiyoshi added quietly. "To counteract Uncle InuYasha's youki."

"We don't need both of you freaking out every time he's upset," Sarah teased.

Kagome leaned back, studying her ring. She'd been a pack member all along. Who knew?

Miroku smiled back at her. "Welcome to the pack, Kagome."

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.) Arata is the creation of the fabulous Phalon – I've done a bit of tweaking, but she is for all intents and purposes not mine.


	31. Epilogue: Life Goes On

Pack Law

Epilogue: Life Goes On

InuYasha grinned at the moving van in the drive-way. _'Finally,'_ he sighed, _'She's where she fuckin' belongs!'_

Stepping through the door, InuYasha halted again, letting his eyes slide lazily closed and taking a deep breath. It was a scent he knew he'd never, ever tire of. _'Maybe I should tell her today.'_

Flowers and decorations still dotted every part of the main room – mementos of the celebration that had taken place just the night before, commemorating Kagome's, Tsukiyoshi's, Hitomu's and Sarah's successful graduations.

'_It's about damn time,'_ he grumbled to himself, kicking a deflating balloon out of the way. The last few years had been excruciatingly long and painful for the hanyou, who'd believed he'd suffered quite enough. Nonetheless, Kagome had refused to move in with him until after graduating high school.

"What would everybody say?" she asked him when he'd posed the question to her, not hours after she was confirmed as a member of the pack despite her age. "Not only that, but I _know_ you," she continued, giving him a look rather reminiscent of those she and Sango would give Miroku when they journeyed into new villages while on the hunt for Shikon shards.

InuYasha's innocent face hadn't convinced her. "Oh, no. I'll still visit, but I need a place where I can get privacy when I need it and where I can study without any interference." InuYasha had suggested she stay there anyway, and everybody could help her with her studies. She'd argued that she could get help when she was visiting.

After three years of visits (extended on the weekends, of course), InuYasha had finally been allowed to take Kagome as his mate on her 18th birthday, even though she hadn't completely graduated yet. She'd been close enough by that point, her mother conceded, that it really wouldn't affect things. Even after that, however, she'd refused to move in. He hadn't seen much of her the past couple weeks as she buried herself in books for her finals.

"InuYasha!" Kagome stomped into the room, followed by Sango and Miroku. The two were grinning ear-to-ear. Kagome was not. In fact, she looked downright pissed. InuYasha blinked. This was not the happy "welcome home" he'd been expecting and hoping for.

"Ye-e-es?" He noticed what she held in her hand and immediately tensed. _'Oh, _shit!_'_

Kagome leveled him with a glare that would have scared a lesser youkai. Hell, it _kind of_ made him tremble. He waited for the gauntlet to fall, aware that the pups of his pack had gathered on the stairwell nearby, watching with amusement.

"It appears to me, InuYasha," Kagome hissed, "that you have failed to tell me something _rather_ important."

InuYasha put a fang through his lip and looked beseechingly at Miroku. His wingman (_'The fuckin' traitor,'_ InuYasha thought venomously) simply took a step back, shaking his head. The message was clear: You're on your own.

"InuYasha!" Kagome snapped his name again, making sure his attention was on _her._ "I made it remarkably clear when I moved here that I wanted to go to college. I have been accepted at the University of Tokyo for their pre-med program. I worked _very_ hard to get to this point. Now, it would _appear_ I am unable to do so. You know why, don't you?"

As she spoke, Kagome stepped closer and closer to InuYasha, until his eyes were crossed to stay on her face. He took a deep breath and subconsciously relaxed. _'She smells sooooo good…'_

"Don't you?" She snapped again, slapping him on the chest. He let out a growl at the man-handling. Kagome raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, you didn't like that?" She smirked, "Then you're not going to like a _lot_ of things for the next nine months!"

"Okay, so I…" InuYasha stopped. He'd sworn to himself he'd never lie to her, never again. Could he really say he was upset? _'No,'_ he admitted to himself. _'I've waited a damn long time for this.'_

"Look, I know I should have said something," he started again, fidgeting under a look that promised nothing but pain in the coming months. "I know I should have told you right away-"

"How long have you known?" Kagome asked. "Just how pregnant _am_ I, InuYasha?"

The hanyou shifted, looking back at the pups and snarling his displeasure at being the center of attention. Sarah winked at him. Hitomu was turning red from holding in his laughter. The tapping of Kagome's foot echoing in the large room reminded him she was waiting for an answer.

"Listen. It's not that I didn't want to tell you! You've just been so busy with exams and studying and you haven't been over as much-" InuYasha realized at this point he was babbling, but just could not stop himself.

"And you forgot where I lived, is that it?" Kagome's arms were crossed. This conversation was _not_ going the way InuYasha had hoped.

Sighing, he reached out and folded her into his arms. She remained stiff as a board, obviously still fuming.

"You have all the time in the world to do what you want," he said softly, "You'll have your talisman soon, you know."

"How. Pregnant. Am. I?" Each word was bitten out.

"A month?" InuYasha cringed as Kagome shoved away from him. He reached out to grab her again – not out of love, this time, but out of self-preservation.

He missed. "Osuwari!" Kagome stomped her foot, glaring down at the subdued hanyou. _'Fuck, I forgot how much that could hurt,' _InuYasha whined mentally. It'd been about a year since she'd been mad enough to do that. "Osuwari, osuwari!"

"Fuck, wench! Knock it off!" He shouted when he could finally pull his face from the floor. "Can you fucking blame me for wanting a family of my own? I've waited a long damn time for this and I don't feel like waiting anymore!"

InuYasha felt lower than he was laying as Kagome's ire almost immediately turned to sniffles. She slumped to the floor, now sobbing. Sango kneeled, wrapping the girl in her arms and glaring at InuYasha.

"Shhh," she soothed the miko, "You'll be fine. You're going to live quite a while, you know, and I'm sure we'll all help you. You can probably finish at least one semester."

"The fuck she can," InuYasha snarled, "Not carrying my pup she ain't walking around that campus unprotected." He regretted his hasty words as Kagome sniffled.

"But Jii-chan won't be around forever and he wanted to see me go to school and be a good doctor," she mumbled dejectedly. "It's not that I don't want a family… I just wanted to live a little first."

Shooing Sango away with a glare, InuYasha took his place by his mate's side. He rubbed her back, refusing to recoil at the miserable look she sent his way. A new round of sobs emerged, though, as his ears drooped in reaction to the anger she was obviously feeling at the situation.

"I-I-I don't w-want," she hiccupped, trying to take deep breaths, "you to be mad. I'm s-s-sorry. You're right," she said. "You deserve a family. I made you wait for centuries." Her lip wiggled as she remembered how lonely he had been…

"No, no, no," he rushed to reassure, wrapping her in his arms again. "You didn't make me wait. I did. It's fine. I'm sorry I didn't tell you… I'm sorry you don't get to go to school now. I promise I'll help and you'll still be able to do things."

Kagome sniffled. "No, I won't. You'll keep me in bed half my pregnancy, I know you," she accused.

InuYasha blushed. "I won't be that bad. Would you rather I didn't worry at all?"

"Can't you find a happy medium?"

Kagome was growing angry again. _'Kami-forsaken hormones,'_ he sighed, looking up as Kagome stomped away. Before he could chase after her, Miroku intercepted him.

"You've got eight more months of this to go, you know," he said conversationally, looking at the young woman's retreating figure. "And 16 years of chasing that kid around, too. If not more."

InuYasha's ears twitched as he heard Sango intercept Kagome. _'Feh, leave it to the women,'_ he decided, turning and heading in the opposite direction, Miroku at his heels. "Keh," he scoffed, "We'll be fine. She's just gotta get used to the idea."

Miroku shook his head. 500 years later… it seemed like the more things changed, the more things stayed the same.

OoO**OoO**OoO

A/N:

For those of you disappointed by the lack of lemons… well, sorry. I don't put them in for the sake of putting them in. Lemons occur when they fit, and they just didn't fit in this story. If you're looking for a PWP, I can recommend them… but I don't write them.

I want to take this time to thank some very fantastic people.

First, to the amazing angelica incarnate and the fabulous Phalon. Without you two, I'd have floundered so many times throughout this fic. Your help, guidance, and occasional beatings helped make this story what I really wanted it to be.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.) Arata is the creation of the fabulous Phalon – I've done a bit of tweaking, but she is for all intents and purposes not mine.


End file.
